KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced he will dissolve parliament on Wednesday, paving the way for a long-anticipated general election late this month that could be the closest his ruling coalition has faced in its 56-year rule.

Najib’s National Front coalition lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time in 2008 elections and faces a confident three-party opposition alliance led by former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia is seeking European investors for $9 billion worth of water, road, air and seaport projects in what will be a litmus test of Southeast Asian countries’ ability to seize on ripe financial conditions to upgrade decrepit infrastructure.

Easy global liquidity and investors’ eagerness to tap one of the world’s few fast-growing regions should create a sweet spot for the region to fill the $600 billion in infrastructure needs the Asian Development Bank identifies over the next decade.

KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA, March 28 (Reuters) – Indonesia is
seeking European investors for $9 billion worth of water, road,
air and seaport projects in what will be a litmus test of
Southeast Asian countries’ ability to seize on ripe financial
conditions to upgrade decrepit infrastructure.

Easy global liquidity and investors’ eagerness to tap one of
the world’s few fast-growing regions should create a sweet spot
for the region to fill the $600 billion in infrastructure needs
the Asian Development Bank identifies over the next decade.

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (Reuters) – Malaysian leader Najib Razak has warned that nascent reforms can’t be done “overnight” and that Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy risks slipping backwards if he does not win a strong majority in an election he must call within weeks.

Prime minister Najib said a reduced parliamentary majority could weaken his drive to curb Malaysia’s budget deficit and raise investment, and even cost him his job.