Malaysia's parliament will be dissolved on March 28, 29 or 30, making way for general elections that must be held by August, The Star newspaper said on Thursday without giving any sources for the report.

It said a new government would be in place before mid-May, suggesting that the election date could be set for the end of April or early May.

Analysts and ruling party sources told Reuters this week Prime Minister Najib Razak was confident of an election victory and that polls could be called for as early as April.

The term of the current government ends on June 24.

Najib's government has been tainted by scandal, particularly over a state-run investment fund, 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1 MDB).

The scandal has brought unprecedented shifts in political forces in Malaysia, where the rule of a party that has held power since Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957 could be under threat.

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who helped found the ruling United Malays National Organisation, and his opposition alliance have emerged as a major challenger to Najib, who denies any wrongdoing over 1 MDB.