Maybe Not a Coup, But Malaysia Power Play Crosses a Line

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin finally got the state of emergency he first sought months ago. The sweeping powers ostensibly give him a shot at quashing a surge in coronavirus infections while, critically for the future of his leadership, putting the lid on a political rebellion that threatened his precarious 10-month tenure.

The emergency decree was declared by the king Tuesday as a “proactive measure” to contain Covid-19 cases and may endure until August. The last one was deployed in the 1960s to combat communal rioting. Such a decree isn’t something that the Southeast Asian country’s hereditary rulers issue lightly; Muhyiddin was rebuffed when he sought one in October. But cases have exploded recently and reached a record last week. The measures allow a suspension of parliament, the tightening of borders, and more functions for the military.