The king of Malaysia, Al-Sultan Abdullah, has declared a nationwide state of emergency and suspended the parliament with the aim to curb the spread of coronavirus and settle the political unrest in the country.

The move was requested by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and allows Mr Muhyiddin to suspend parliament at a time when his government is weakened.

In a televised address on Tuesday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the parliament will be suspended for a stipulated period of time, and that elections would not be held during the emergency, which could last until August 1.

He said, "Let me assure you, the civilian government will continue to function. The emergency proclaimed by the king is not a military coup and curfew will not be enforced.”

On Monday, Muhyiddin announced a nationwide travel ban and a 14-day lockdown in the capital Kuala Lumpur and five states, saying the healthcare system for the country of 32 million people was at a breaking point.

The number of new daily infections hit a record high last week, breaching the 3,000 mark for the first time. Total coronavirus cases passed 138,000 on Monday, with 555 deaths.

Malaysia's palace revealed that Muhyiddin requested King Al-Sultan Abdullah to declare a state of emergency as a proactive measure to curb COVID-19.

"Al-Sultan Abdullah is of the opinion that the spread of COVID-19 is at a critical stage and that there is a need to declare a proclamation of emergency," the palace said.

Inform that, ‘Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy in which the king has a largely ceremonial role, carrying his duties with advice from the prime minister and cabinet. But, the monarch also has the power to decide if an emergency should be declared, based on threats to security, economy or public order.’