Malaysia’s Parliament reopens after 7-month virus suspension

Infections have jumped eight-fold from the whole of last year and are up by 77% since a national lockdown on June 1 while deaths have climbed steeply to near 8,000.

On Monday, Malaysia’s Parliament reopened for the first time this year after a seven-month suspension due to a coronavirus emergency that has failed to curb a worsening pandemic. Lawmakers are expected to question Malaysia PM Muhyiddin Yassin’s emergency declaration and his government’s management of the pandemic after Malaysia’s total cases passed 1 million on Sunday. Infections have jumped eight-fold from the whole of last year and are up by 77% since a national lockdown on June 1 while deaths have climbed steeply to near 8,000. Critics have slammed the emergency as a ruse for the embattled leader to stay in power amid challenges to his leadership from within his coalition and the opposition. The emergency allows the government to halt Parliament and approve supplementary budgets and impose ordinances without legislative approval.