Malaysia’s PM quarantines after minister tests positive for Covid-19, amid record spike in cases

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and other officials are self-isolating after coming in contact with Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri

Malaysia reported a record 432 cases on Monday, with a large number coming from Sabah, where a snap election was held on September 26

Reading Time:2 minutes

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin chairs a special meeting of the National Security Council on Coronavirus measures on Saturday. A minister at the meeting has since contracted Covid-19. Photo: DPA

Published: 6:47pm, 5 Oct 2020Updated: 11:03pm, 5 Oct 2020

Public anger over Malaysia’s fast-worsening Covid-19 situation escalated on Monday, as the tally of new daily cases hit a record and the country’s cabinet faced the prospect of self-quarantine after the religious affairs minister confirmed he had been infected.

Citizens have in recent days criticised Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration for the sharp spike, saying it was fuelled by politicians behaving as if they were above social distancing and isolation guidelines.

The Health Ministry reported 432 new cases on Monday, a sharp increase from 293 on Sunday and 317 on Saturday. A large portion of the new cases are in Sabah, where a snap poll triggered by mass defections was held on September 26.

The government in turn has blamed undocumented migrants for the outbreak.

To compound headaches for Muhyiddin, Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri on Monday confirmed in a Facebook post that he had tested positive for Covid-19.