This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(August 2021) |
| Part ofa series on the |
| COVID-19 pandemic |
|---|
|
Medical response |
|
TheCOVID-19 pandemic has impacted and affectedthe political system ofMalaysia, causing suspensions of legislative activities and isolation of multiple politicians due to fears of spreading the virus. The onset of the pandemic coincided with apolitical crisis in early 2020 which continued into 2021 as the spread of COVID-19 andemergency government measures exacerbated initially unrelated political instability, culminating in the resignation of Prime MinisterMuhyiddin Yassin and hiscabinet in August 2021. Numerouselections have been postponed or suspended after the2020 Sabah state election was blamed for amajor outbreak in the state that led to the country's third wave. Several politicians have tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021.
Apolitical crisis in Malaysia coincided with the onset of theCOVID-19 pandemic in the country.[1] ThePakatan Harapan coalition government collapsed, leading to the resignation of Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad and eventual replacement withMuhyiddin Yassin and a newPerikatan Nasional coalition, which maintained a small majority. Prime Minister Muhyiddin blamed the2020 Sabah state election for a substantial increase in COVID-19 cases across thestate and country.[2]
In June 2021, the rulers of Malaysia declared that there is no need to extend a state of emergency after 1 August, and parliament should be reopened as soon as possible.[3] The emergency has led to the suspension of all federal parliament and state assembly sittings and also by-elections, among other things, therefore by-elections will need to proceed after 1 August inSarawak (assembly),Batu Sapi (federal seat),Gerik (federal seat),Bugaya (Sabah state seat) andMelor (Kelantan state seat).[4]
Alarge outbreak at a Tablighi Jamaat religious event and the spread of the virus across the country were thought to have been exacerbated by the political instability,[5] with the newHealth Minister,Adham Baba criticizing his predecessorDzulkefly Ahmad, although there was no clear government responsible at the time.[6][7] Shortly after a thin government majority was established, the new government announced thenationwide Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the spread of the virus.[1]
Amid ongoing political instability,Yang di-Pertuan Agong warned politicians in May 2020 that he "would like to advise against dragging the country once again into a political mess that brings uncertainties" given the ongoing health crisis in the country.[8]In January 2021, a State of Emergency was declared, suspending all elections and parliament, and the government were empowered to pass laws without oversight in response to the pandemic and ongoing political instability.[9] This led to the resignation of MPAhmad Jazlan Yaakub from the party, resulting in the loss of the government's required majority of at least 111 MPs in theDewan Rakyat.[10] Opposition leaderAnwar Ibrahim criticised the declaration, saying this was an effort for the government to maintain power and that 115 other MPs were against it.[11]
On 17 March 2020,Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (Bandar Kuching member of parliament) tested positive forCOVID-19 and was quarantined atSarawak General Hospital. He was suspected of having been infected with the virus after meetingSarikei MPWong Ling Biu who also tested positive for the virus.[12] He was announced to have recovered on 23 March 2020.[13] Another MP which isChong Chieng Jen (Stampin member of parliament) tested negative.[14]
| State/Appointed | Member | Party | Confirmed Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appointed | Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad | UMNO | 3 October 2020 (2020-10-03)[15] | |
| Idris Ahmad | PAS | 16 January 2021 (2021-01-16)[16] | ||
| Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri | IND | 5 October 2020 (2020-10-05)[17] | ||
| State | No. | Parliament Constituency | Member | Party | Confirmed Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P001 | Padang Besar | Zahidi Zainul Abidin | UMNO | 13 January 2021 (2021-01-13)[18] | ||
| P030 | Jeli | Mustapa Mohamed | BERSATU | 10 January 2021 (2021-01-10)[19] | ||
| P032 | Gua Musang | Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah | UMNO | 14 January 2021 (2021-01-14)[20] | ||
| P047 | Nibong Tebal | Mansor Othman | BERSATU | 25 July 2021 (2021-07-25)[21] | ||
| P056 | Larut | Hamzah Zainudin | BERSATU | 12 January 2021 (2021-01-12)[22] | ||
| P061 | Padang Rengas | Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz | UMNO | 18 January 2021 (2021-01-18)[23] | ||
| P073 | Pasir Salak | Tajuddin Abdul Rahman | UMNO | 20 January 2021 (2021-01-20)[24] | ||
| P075 | Bagan Datuk | Ahmad Zahid Hamidi | UMNO | 25 July 2021 (2021-07-25)[25] | ||
| P082 | Indera Mahkota | Saifuddin Abdullah | BERSATU | 28 April 2021 (2021-04-28)[26] | ||
| P119 | Titiwangsa | Rina Mohd. Harun | BERSATU | 11 January 2021 (2021-01-11)[27] | ||
| P156 | Kota Tinggi | Halimah Mohd. Sadique | UMNO | 19 January 2021 (2021-01-19)[28] | ||
| P180 | Keningau | Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan | STAR | 4 January 2021 (2021-01-04)[29] | ||
| P194 | Petra Jaya | Fadillah Yusof | PBB | 11 June 2021 (2021-06-11)[30] | ||
| P197 | Kota Samarahan | Rubiah Wang | PBB | 4 April 2020 (2020-04-04)[31] | ||
| P195 | Bandar Kuching | Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen | DAP | 17 March 2020 (2020-03-17)[32] | ||
| P208 | Sarikei | Wong Ling Biu | DAP | 17 March 2020 (2020-03-17)[33] | ||
| P211 | Lanang | Alice Lau Kiong Yieng | DAP | 27 May 2021 (2021-05-27)[34] | ||
| Total | Perlis (1),Kelantan (2),Perak (3),Pahang (1),F.T. Kuala Lumpur (1),Johor (1),Sabah (1),Sarawak (5) | |||||
| State | No. | Parliamentary Constituency | No. | State Assembly Constituency | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P02 | Kangar | N8 | Indera Kayangan | Gan Ay Ling | PKR | ||
| P17 | Padang Serai | N34 | Lunas | Azman Nasruddin | BERSATU | ||
| P30 | Jeli | N37 | Air Lanas | Mustapa Mohamed | BERSATU | ||
| P32 | Gua Musang | N43 | Nenggiri | Ab. Aziz Yusoff | UMNO | ||
| N45 | Galas | Mohd. Syahbuddin Hashim | UMNO | ||||
| P40 | Kemaman | N30 | Kijal | Ahmad Said | UMNO | ||
| P81 | Jerantut | N9 | Tahan | Mohd Zakhwan Ahmad Badarddin | PAS | ||
| P89 | Bentong | N35 | Sabai | Kamache Doray Rajoo | DAP | ||
| P97 | Selayang | N14 | Rawang | Chua Wei Kiat | PKR | ||
| P105 | Petaling Jaya | N33 | Taman Medan | Syamsul Firdaus Mohamed Supri | PKR | ||
| P106 | Damansara | N35 | Kampung Tunku | Lim Yi Wei | DAP | ||
| P107 | Sungai Buloh | N39 | Kota Damansara | Shatiri Mansor | PKR | ||
| P113 | Sepang | N55 | Dengkil | Adhif Syan Abdullah | BERSATU | ||
| P132 | Port Dickson | N33 | Sri Tanjong | Ravi Munasamy | PKR | ||
| P134 | Masjid Tanah | N3 | Ayer Limau | Amiruddin Yusop | UMNO | ||
| P142 | Labis | N5 | Tenang | Mohd. Solihan Badri | BERSATU | ||
| P146 | Muar | N15 | Maharani | Nor Hayati Bachok | AMANAH | ||
| P149 | Sri Gading | N21 | Parit Yaani | Amunolhuda Hassan | AMANAH | ||
| P153 | Sembrong | N30 | Paloh | Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali | DAP | ||
| P168 | Kota Marudu | N07 | Tandek | Hendrus Anding | PBS | ||
| P170 | Tuaran | N12 | Sulaman | Hajiji Mohd Nor | BERSATU | ||
| P180 | Keningau | N39 | Tambunan | Jeffrey Kitingan | STAR | ||
| N40 | Bingkor | Robert Tawik | STAR | ||||
| P188 | Lahad Datu | N63 | Kunak | Norazlinah Arif | WARISAN | ||
| P198 | Puncak Borneo | N19 | Mambong | Jerip Susil | PBB | ||
| Total | Perlis (1),Kedah (1),Kelantan (3),Terengganu (1),Pahang (2),Selangor (5),Negeri Sembilan (1),Malacca (1),Johor (4),Sabah (5),Sarawak (1) | ||||||