Malaysia lawmakers protest Parliament closure as ploy by PM

Police blocked opposition lawmakers from marching to protest a two-week lockdown of Malaysia’s Parliament, which they consider another ploy for the embattled prime minister to dodge a no-confidence vote

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Police blocked opposition lawmakers from marching Monday to protest a two-week lockdown of Malaysia's Parliament, which they consider another ploy for the embattled prime minister to dodge a no-confidence vote. With the crucial parliamentary session due, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin instead postponed it and Parliament will be shut for two weeks. The health ministry said Parliament was deemed a high-risk venue because four of 11 COVID-19 cases detected among staff and others were suspected to be the fast-spreading delta variant. Muhyiddin has led an unstable, unelected governing alliance since March 2020 after he initiated the downfall of the reformist government that won the 2018 elections. Parliament has been suspended for much of that time due to the pandemic and hasn't acted on the no-confidence motion filed by opposition lawmakers. They questioned the timing of the announcement of Parliament's closure, which came after the king rebuked Muhyiddin's government for misleading Parliament on the status of ordinances it issued during the seven-month coronavirus state of emergency.