Malaysia's fight against the pandemic is at the crossroads

IT'S crunch time for Malaysia's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic that could seal the prospects of this major South-east Asian nation over the medium term - perhaps even beyond.

While that's not vastly different from regional peers, especially Indonesia which is seeing a marked increase in new infections, Malaysia's unpredictable political climate could make things less conducive to tackle the virus. This is more so as the spectre of (more) political drama looms amid heated debate currently on when Parliament should reconvene once the state of emergency is lifted on August 1, as scheduled.

Recall that Malaysia declared a state of emergency in January to curb the sharp spread of the virus. The move, led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, was deemed by critics as politically motivated and a means to tighten his grip over the country's leadership, which was waning as calls for his removal and a snap election grew louder. Others threw their weight behind the decision, as they felt it would give the administration room to focus on the worsening health crisis sans political distractions.