KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he hopes to call elections soon, according to a report released Thursday (January 12th).

Speculation arose over when Najib would announce the poll – which must be conducted by spring 2013 – after the acquittal of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on sodomy charges.

Najib said he will deliver on a promise to introduce more democratic reforms, probably beginning in March.

"I hope it will be the right time soon enough [to call elections]…It's important for people to have the feeling that the reforms we have promised will actually benefit them," Najib said in an interview with Dow Jones.