Malaysia extends emergency rule in Sarawak state to stop polls

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia extended a state of emergency in the eastern state of Sarawak until February 2022 to suspend regional elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic, state news agency Bernama reported on Saturday.

Malaysia is under emergency rule nationally to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but that is set to expire on Sunday.

The emergency in Sarawak, however, will be extended until Feb. 2, Bernama reported, citing the government gazette.

King Al-Sultan Abdullah decreed that the emergency is to suspend the state election in order to prevent any further increase in the spread of COVID-19, Bernama reported.

Malaysia's COVID-19 infections have spread rapidly in recent weeks. Daily cases hit a record 17,405 this week, and the total number of infections stood at 1,095,486 as of Friday.