• About Us
  • Who Are We
  • Work With Us
Sunday, January 29, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Globe Post
39 °f
New York
44 ° Fri
46 ° Sat
40 ° Sun
41 ° Mon
No Result
View All Result
The Globe Post
No Result
View All Result
Home Democracy at Risk

Malaysia Declares Virus Emergency, Suspends Parliament

Staff Writer by Staff Writer
01/12/21
in Democracy at Risk, World
Pedestrians wait to cross a street in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on October 7, 2020.

Pedestrians wait to cross a street in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on October 7, 2020. Photo: AFP

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Malaysia’s king declared a nationwide state of emergency Tuesday to fight a coronavirus surge and parliament was suspended, with critics charging it was a bid by the unstable government to cling to power.

The surprise move came a day after the prime minister announced sweeping new curbs across much of the Southeast Asian nation, including the closure of most businesses, and warned the health system was “at breaking point”.

Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah agreed to declare an emergency until August 1 following a request from Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the national palace said in a statement.

It is the first time Malaysia has declared a national state of emergency in over half a century and Muhyiddin, in a televised address, confirmed parliament would be suspended and elections would not take place for the time being.

But the leader, whose 10-month-old administration is showing signs of falling apart, insisted that “the civilian government will continue to function”.

“The emergency declaration… is not a military coup and a curfew will not be enforced,” he said.

He insisted he was committed to holding a general election once the country’s outbreak is brought under control.

The announcement came after Muhyiddin’s key coalition allies started withdrawing support, which could have led to the collapse of the government and snap national polls that some feared could worsen the outbreak.

A local election last year has been blamed for triggering a new wave of infections that spread nationwide.

Muhyiddin has narrowly survived a series of challenges in parliament since taking office but is now thought to have lost his majority.

‘Hiding behind the virus’

The Pact of Hope opposition alliance, which includes veteran politician Anwar Ibrahim, said the move was unacceptable as the partial lockdown announced earlier in the week was enough to tackle the virus. 

“The emergency powers give the prime minister absolute power to do anything he wishes,” the pact’s leaders said in a statement. 

“Do not hide behind the coronavirus and burden the people by declaring an emergency in a bid to save your self.”

As well as suspending political life, the declaration gives the government powers to take over private hospitals as government facilities become overwhelmed, and get extra help from the military and police, Muhyiddin said.

The emergency could be lifted earlier if the rate of infection slows, according to the palace.

Malaysia kept the virus in check for much of last year with a tough lockdown but, once curbs were eased, cases accelerated dramatically.

A record 3,309 cases were reported Tuesday, taking the total to over 141,000 with 559 deaths. 

The Kuala Lumpur stock market slid heavily after the state of emergency was announced but clawed back ground to end the day down 0.32 percent.

Muhyiddin first tried to persuade the king to declare an emergency in October but was rebuffed. The last time an emergency was declared nationally was in 1969, in response to deadly racial riots.

Malaysia has been in turmoil since March last year when Muhyiddin came to power without an election following then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad‘s resignation and the collapse of his reformist administration.

Mahathir, 95, led an opposition alliance to a historic victory at landmark polls in 2018 and toppled a corruption-riddled coalition that had governed the country for six decades. 

Malaysia’s Power Struggle: How Did We Get Here?
ShareTweet
Staff Writer

Staff Writer

AFP with The Globe Post

Related Posts

A woman undergoing COVID test in China
Featured

Soaring Covid Cases Shine Light on China’s Healthcare Gap

by Staff Writer
January 11, 2023
European Medicines Agency
World

EU Watchdog Approves Second Covid Booster for Over 80s

by Staff Writer
April 6, 2022
WHO
World

WHO Urges Rich Countries to Pay Up for Covid Plan

by Staff Writer
February 9, 2022
Mask making
National

US Sets Global Record of Over 1 Mn Daily Covid-19 Cases

by Staff Writer
January 4, 2022
Israel Covid vaccine
World

Israel ‘Leads the Way’ With 4th Covid Jabs for Vulnerable

by Staff Writer
December 31, 2021
Humanitarian worker places a face mask on a child refugee during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opinion

As COVID-19 Lingers, Wealthy Nations Must Not Abandon Migrants

by Maria DeJesus
December 21, 2021
Next Post
People march against climate change in Bordeaux, southwestern France, on October 13, 2018.

NGOs Accuse France of Climate Inaction in Landmark Court Case

Jake Angeli speaks to a US Capitol Police officer.

American Democracy Will Prevail

Recommended

The Doomsday Clock reads 100 seconds to midnight, a decision made by The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, during an announcement at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on January 23, 2020

‘Doomsday Clock’ Moves Closest Ever to Midnight

January 25, 2023
Police work near the scene of a mass shooting in Monterey Park, California

California Lunar New Year Mass Shooter Dead, Motive Unclear: Police

January 23, 2023
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Race on To Replace Ardern as New Zealand Prime Minister

January 20, 2023
Pfizer logo and vaccines

Pfizer to Sell More Drugs at Cost to Poor Nations

January 18, 2023
Rescuers inspect the wreckage at the site of a Yeti Airlines plane crash in Pokhara, Nepal

At Least 67 Killed in Nepal Plane Crash

January 16, 2023
George Santos from the 3rd Congressional district of New York

George Santos for Speaker!

January 16, 2023

Opinion

George Santos from the 3rd Congressional district of New York

George Santos for Speaker!

January 16, 2023
Commuters waiting for buses in Metro Manila. Philippines

Eight Billion and Counting…

November 29, 2022
Mahsa Amini protests

Imagining a Free Iran

October 24, 2022
Vladimir Putin

How 18th Century International Law Clarifies the Situation in Ukraine

September 29, 2022
Vladimir Putin

Falling for Putin

September 15, 2022
US President Donald Trump

Donald Trump Thanks You for Your Sacrifice

August 17, 2022
Facebook Twitter

Newsletter

Do you like our reporting?
SUBSCRIBE

About Us

The Globe Post

The Globe Post is part of Globe Post Media, a U.S. digital news organization that is publishing the world's best targeted news sites.

submit oped

© 2018 The Globe Post

No Result
View All Result
  • National
  • World
  • Business
  • Interviews
  • Lifestyle
  • Democracy at Risk
    • Media Freedom
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Columns
    • Book Reviews
    • Stage
  • Submit Op-ed

© 2018 The Globe Post