Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has dissolved Malaysia's Parliament, announcing it in a special television address today, paving the way for snap polls nearly a year ahead of the deadline for a general election.

It comes after Malaysia unveiled a smaller budget for 2023 on Friday, which is widely seen as an attempt to woo support for the ruling parties ahead of federal polls anticipated by year-end.

Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with Fung Siu, Principal Economist, Asia, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), who specialises in areas including currency, environment, financial services, Islamic finance, Macroeconomics in ASEAN, Japan, South Asia and Sri Lanka.