Malaysia’s king approves a coronavirus emergency that will suspend parliament for months in reprieve for embattled PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s king has approved a coronavirus emergency that will suspend parliament and hold off calls for elections in a political reprieve for embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin assured citizens the emergency was “not a military coup and curfew will not be enforced.” The emergency will last until Aug. 1 or earlier depending on the situation. It came as a surprise a day after Muhyiddin announced Kuala Lumpur, the administrative capital and five states will return to a near-lockdown to stem the virus spread. Malaysia’s virus tally has grown nine-fold in three months. But analysts wondered how much the emergency will help. They say it seems like a bid for Muhyiddin to hold power without parliamentary oversight.