Malaysia Won’t Hold Any Elections During Emergency: PM Muhyiddin

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia won’t hold elections or by-elections during the period of emergency, while all parliament and state assemblies will be suspended, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in a televised address on Tuesday.

• The pandemic is the main reason why the government will not dissolve parliament and hold a general election yet, Muhyiddin said

  • READ: Malaysia Declares State of Emergency as Pandemic Worsens
• An independent committee will be formed to advise Malaysia’s monarch on duration of the emergency
• Elections can be held as soon as the committee declares that the pandemic is over
• Emergency gives the government certain powers to tackle Covid, he said. The king may enact ordinances involving the military and police, and may rope in private hospitals to help fight the pandemic. The armed forces will also assist in public health
• Emergency is not a military coup and no curfews will be imposed
• Malaysia still “open for business” and this emergency period will give the country the “much needed calm” to build its economic trajectory
• Malaysia’s judiciary system and central bank will continue to function
• The country will ensure that good governance continues throughout the emergency and that the economy operates as usual

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