Categories: News

Agong declares emergency until 1st August or until COVID-19 situation is under control

His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has declared an emergency in Malaysia which will take into effect until 1st of August 2021 or until the current COVID-19 wave subsides. The decision was announced this morning after Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had an audience at Istana Negara yesterday evening (11th January 2021).

According to the official statement from the palace, the PM had presented the proposal made by the cabinet to implement the declaration of the emergency proclamation as a proactive step to curb and to suppress the new daily COVID-19 cases that has hit 4-digits continuously since December 2020.

His Majesty views the current COVID-19 situation as critical and there’s a need to declare an emergency under Clause (1) Article 150 of the Federal Constitution. The decision was also made with consultation with other Malay Rulers.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong declared that the duration of this emergency declaration will be implemented until 1st August 2021 or until an early time when the number of new daily COVID-19 cases has dropped to a manageable level.

Muhyiddin had previously requested for a state of emergency to be declared in October 2020 but the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had decided that it wasn’t necessary. The Agong had warned politicians not to unsettle the country’s administration.

Malaysia has announced new Movement Control Order measures for two weeks as the country continues to record over 2,000 new daily cases for 7 straight weeks. The PM said the healthcare system is at a breaking point and is under tremendous pressure.

The Prime Minister will address the nation at 11am today (12th January 2021) to provide an update on the emergency declaration.