Malaysia declares coronavirus emergency in part of Sabah state to stop by-election

Malaysia has reported a sharp spike in cases in recent weeks, with the total number of coronavirus infections rising to more than 50,000 cases on Wednesday

Sabah, on Borneo island, has been worst-hit by the recent jump, reporting nearly half of the country’s infections, most of which were linked to an election in September

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Members of Malaysia Social Welfare Department wearing personal protective equipment prepare for food distribution at an area under enhanced lockdown. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:43pm, 18 Nov 2020Updated: 8:43pm, 18 Nov 2020

Malaysia’s king on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in a parliamentary constituency in the eastern state of Sabah to prevent a by-election being held there, citing fears that it could lead to a fresh coronavirus outbreak.

The Southeast Asian nation has seen a sharp spike in cases in recent weeks, with the total number of coronavirus infections rising to more than 50,000 cases on Wednesday.

Sabah, on Borneo island, has been worst-hit by the recent jump, reporting nearly half of the country’s infections, most of which were linked to an election held there in September.

King Al-Sultan Abdullah made the decision to declare a state of emergency in the Batu Sapi constituency on the advice of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and after receiving a briefing by senior government officials, Malaysia’s palace said in a statement.

The king was satisfied that the declaration was necessary “to curb and prevent a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections”, it said, adding that the polls would be held at a later date.

The Batu Sapi by-election was originally set to be held on December 5, following the death of a lawmaker last month.