Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has no plans to call an early general election despite signs of increasing support for the government, a report said today.

"What is the need, we just had a general election in 1999 and we have plenty of time until year 2004," Mahathir was quoted as saying by the Berita Harian daily.

He was responding to speculation that the next general election, due in 2004, may be held early after the government won with increased majorities in two recent by-elections.

The ruling Barisan Nasional won Sunday's election for the Ketari seat in the Pahang state assembly against the DAP with a majority of almost 10 times its 231 lead in 1999.

Analysts say that support for Mahathir, which had dwindled over the 1998 sacking and subsequent jailing of his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim, had risen since the US attacks because of fear of Islamic militancy.

An opposition alliance fell apart shortly after the attacks over plans by one member, PAS, to impose a theocratic Islamic state.