Malaysia election chief to retire

Malaysia election chief to retire

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): The head of Malaysia's Elections Commission said on Friday that he is stepping down ahead of the general election expected to be held soon.

Elections Commission chairman Harun Din said he would retire this month after nine years on the job.

"My retirement is provided for in the Constitution, considering that I am now 65," the official Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.

"It is the same for judges," Harun was quoted as telling reporters in the southern state of Johor. Harun's retirement comes amid widespread expectations that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will soon call a snap election. Mahathir has to dissolve parliament by April 2000 and call national polls by June 2000.