Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin went live again this morning, this time to assure Malaysians that there’s nothing to worry about now that the king has declared a state of emergency in the country.
Set to last until Aug. 1 or when the coronavirus has been brought under control, Muhyiddin said that the state of emergency will not lead to a military coup or curfews, but it could help stave off anymore politicking while the country grapples with the pandemic, which has placed healthcare services on the verge of a breaking point.
Read: Malaysia’s King declares state of emergency as COVID-19 spirals out of control
“The state of emergency is not a military coup, and a curfew will not be enforced,” the 73-year-old said, soon after the palace announced that Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had consented to emergency powers.
“The civil government will continue to function,” Muhyiddin said. “The Parliament will be suspended during the state of emergency.”
“There will be no federal elections or state elections,” he added, noting that the government has learned from the surge of COVID-19 cases that occurred during the Sabah state elections in September.
Read: Malaysia declares MCO 2.0 on several areas including Kuala Lumpur, Penang
“All politicians should put aside their differences and stand in solidarity with the people. When it’s time to play politics, do it responsibly,” he added.
Malaysia has recorded more than 138,000 COVID-19 infections and 551 deaths since the outbreak began. A total of 2,232 cases were reported yesterday.
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Malaysia’s King declares state of emergency as COVID-19 spirals out of control
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