Explainer | What Malaysia’s new coronavirus lockdown and state of emergency mean for the public, and for PM Muhyiddin
- Johor, Selangor, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan will face the toughest measures. All interstate travel is banned
- Muhyiddin had cited a forecast of 8,000 daily cases as a reason for the lockdown, but critics say state of emergency is politically motivated
For several weeks Malaysia has recorded daily cases in the four digits and its total caseload has now risen to nearly 140,000 infections and 555 deaths – depressing statistics for a country that at one point appeared to have brought the virus under control with a nationwide lockdown early last year.
While the new lockdown measures will last for two weeks, the state of emergency could last until August if necessary. The declaration of an emergency also means parliament will be suspended indefinitely, during which time the embattled Muhyiddin will be able to govern by fiat.
This has raised questions not only about the impact on ordinary Malaysians, but on the nation’s politics, which have been fractious since Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional alliance toppled the ruling Pakatan Harapan in a political coup last February.
