Malaysia’s PM Assumes Emergency Powers

Move seen as ploy to avoid parliamentary defeat

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, his razor-thin majority collapsing, today (Jan. 12) introduced a state of emergency in parliament ostensibly to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, delaying parliamentary sittings and elections until August 1 and forestalling efforts by the opposition to remove him from power.

The emergency decree was agreed by the Y…