Malaysia: opposition denounces use of Covid-19 against democracy

Opposition MPs marching to Parliament, access to which has been protected by a police shield, demand the Prime Minister's resignation in Kuala Lumpur on August 2, 2021. AP - FL Wong

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In Malaysia, the health crisis and the political crisis are now more intertwined than ever.

Fearing that Parliament would become a cluster, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin ordered its closure even though a decisive session for the country's political future was due to take place on Monday.  

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With our correspondent in Kuala Lumpur, 

Gabrielle Maréchaux

It is an image immediately qualified as historic: on the one hand the Malaysian opposition deputies, on the other the shields of the police.

And behind the police and their water cannons, the closed Parliament that seek in vain to join parliamentarians this Monday morning. 

For this opposition member, the hour is therefore serious.

“

 This is a direct attack on our parliamentary democracy,

 ” he said.

Parliament chooses who the Prime Minister is.

And the executive is trying to make parliament not work so that Muhyiddin can stay in power. 

" 

On the side of the executive, it is assured that the decision to close Parliament until further notice is a reasonable choice based on science after the discovery of positive cases in the enclosure of the building. 

An argument that does not hold for Syed Saddiq, a young and popular deputy who therefore retaliated on TikTok.

"

 Factories can open, casinos too, workplaces here can also open, but Parliament must close," he

protested.

 What is this story ?

The majority of deputies and their teams have already received two doses of the vaccine.

Does the government doubt the effectiveness of the vaccine?

 "

This is not the first time that the Malaysian opposition has accused the government of the day of using the coronavirus as an alibi to freeze parliamentary life.

The

Prime Minister

came to power without being elected by the Malaysians just days before the first confinement last March, and since the vote of no confidence that the opposition hopes has never been able to take place. 

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To read also: Malaysia: behind the movement of black flags, the anger of a disillusioned youth (Analysis)

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