Malaysian PM has one last shot to control worsening Covid-19 pandemic

MALAYSIA declared a national emergency on Tuesday to curb the worsening Covid-19 pandemic that has frayed public trust and is piling stress on its public health system.

The move came a day after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, whose grip on the leadership is also under threat, announced strict lockdown measures across key economic regions in the country, including Kuala Lumpur, for two weeks. Most expect the restrictions to be further extended. Call it pandemic politics. It is hardly unique to Malaysia and has hit several other Asean nations and the United States, hampering national efforts to pull out of the crisis.

With that, for the first time in more than half a century, Malaysia is suspending parliament and state legislatures under a state of emergency - a move that will hold off calls for elections and cement embattled Mr Muhyiddin's position, providing him with a wide window to control the pandemic. The emergency will remain in force until Aug 1, or earlier if Covid-19 cases fall.