Petronas Staff Awarded One-Off Bonus

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - About 40,000 state-run Petroliam Nasional Bhd. employees will receive a MYR1,000 (US $324), one-time bonus, Prime Minister Najib Razak told them on Tuesday.

The bonus is "a gesture toward our nation-building efforts," a Petronas worker told The Wall Street Journal on condition of anonymity.

The bonus was confirmed by a prime minister's office spokeswoman.

Mr. Najib last month pledged annual cash handouts for the poor.

Malaysia must hold a general election by the end of June. It is predicted by experts to be the most closely contested in Malaysia's history.

Earlier on Tuesday a local news media report said Mr. Najib may dissolve the parliament as early as Wednesday.

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