KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has assented today to declare an emergency in the country until August 1, or until the current wave of Covid-19 subsides.

State news agency Bernama reported briefly this morning confirming the matter. There are no details yet over the decree, which came following a rumour yesterday that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government had met with the King suggesting the move.

The decree came just a day after Putrajaya announced a new movement control order affecting six states for two weeks starting tomorrow.