Coronavirus strikes Malaysian parliament, but glimmer of hope for budget

Parliamentary sittings in final meeting of the year may be cut short after several officers test positive for Covid-19

Some opposition members claim real motive is to stifle no confidence motions in Muhyiddin’s leadership

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A mural depicting Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:00pm, 2 Nov 2020Updated: 12:51am, 18 Dec 2020

Malaysia’s parliament opened on Monday with a glimmer of hope that a federal budget with bipartisan support could be agreed, albeit with stringent conditions, despite increasing doubts about Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s grip on power.

However, the sitting was cut short when it emerged several officers had tested positive for Covid-19, raising questions over whether the rest of the year’s sittings would also be curtailed.

The nation’s de facto law minister, Takiyuddin Hassan, told the lower house a decision on whether sittings would end at 1pm or 5.30pm would be made on a daily basis, except for the November 6 sitting during which the 2021 budget is expected to be tabled.

“The longer we are here the higher the risk,” said Takiyuddin, explaining that sanitising the building would take more than two hours a day.

Opposition politicians reacted with frustration, with some speculating the real reason for the limits was because 25 of the 64 motions submitted for the 27-day meeting involved votes of no confidence in Muhyiddin’s leadership.

Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Photo: AFP