Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been charged with sedition over a speech he made that allegedly mocked the country’s previous king.

Analysts say Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces a daunting task in uniting an increasingly polarized nation and strengthening his nascent unity government.

Less than a year after taking office, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces a critical first test in state elections next month that pits his government against a powerful Islamic opposition.

Former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been charged with corruption and money laundering, making him Malaysia’s second ex-leader to be indicted after leaving office.

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been arrested and will be brought to court to face corruption charges.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been questioned by anti-graft officials over alleged corruption in awarding government contracts while in office.

Malaysia’s longest-ruling coalition says it has not decided which bloc to support after weekend elections left neither with enough seats to form a government on its own, and it would ask the nation’s king to give it more time.

Malaysia’s next government appears to be leaning to the religious right as a coalition of Malay nationalists won support of an influential bloc after tightly fought general elections failed to produce a clear winner.

Malaysia has tumbled into fresh political turmoil after Saturday's tightly-contested general election delivered a hung Parliament with no clear winner and a surprising surge of support for an Islamist party.

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Malay party has won a landslide victory in a state election, defeating its allies in the ruling coalition as well as the opposition ahead of national polls.

Malaysia’s new prime minister has struck a conciliatory tone in his first national address.

Malaysia’s longest-governing political party has reclaimed the premiership it lost in a shock 2018 election defeat, after the king named its candidate, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as the country’s new leader.

Malaysia’s king is calling for an end to political bickering as he begins the process of selecting a new prime minister following the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has resigned less than 18 months in power, apologizing for his shortcomings but blaming those he said were “hungry for power.”.

Malaysia’s king has rebuked Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government for misleading Parliament over the status of coronavirus emergency measures, sparking renewed calls for the embattled leader to resign.

Malaysia’s government says it will not extend a coronavirus emergency further as Parliament reopened after a disputed seven-month suspension amid a worsening pandemic.

Muslims around the world are observing the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice” in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.

A white flag campaign is gaining traction to help Malaysians facing economic devastation during the coronavirus pandemic.

Malaysia’s prime minister says a near-total coronavirus lockdown will be imposed in the country, with social and economic activities to be halted for two weeks to contain a worsening outbreak.

Hawaii officials are moving forward with a plan to allow people who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus to skip pre-travel testing and quarantine requirements for flights between islands.

(Malaysia Health Ministry via AP)Many nations in the Asia-Pacific region are rolling out the first shots for COVID-19 this week. AUSTRALIATwo elderly people have been administered with higher-than-prescribed doses of the Pfizer vaccine, Australia’s health minister said Wednesday. Thai officials have said they had secured an additional deal with AstraZeneca for a total of 61 million doses. More than half a million health care and front-line workers will be given priority in the first phase. CHINAChinese regulators are looking at two more potential COVID-19 vaccines, one from state-owned company Sinopharm and another from a private company, CanSino.

Jim Thurman counts himself among the converts who recognize the importance of taking a COVID-19 vaccine. AdHealth authorities say first-generation COVID-19 vaccines still protect against variants of the virus that are emerging in different parts of the world. AdIn a separate announcement, Moderna also said it plans to manufacture 700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine globally this year, up from 600 million. Bosnia, a country of 3.3 million, expects 1.2 million vaccines through COVAX. On Wednesday, Ghana has become the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX.

Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s largest exporters of palm oil, which plays an important role in their economic recovery. After meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Indonesian President Joko Widodo told a joint news conference that Indonesia is fighting against palm oil discrimination. Ad“We are concerned over the current anti-palm oil campaign, especially in Europe, Australia and Oceanea,” Muhyiddin said. There are over 2.7 million palm oil smallholders in Indonesia and 600,000 in Malaysia. The Associated Press’ investigation reports late last year revealed that many palm oil companies in Indonesia and Malaysia exploit children in their plantations.

The Department of Health reported 1,895 new infections Sunday, bringing confirmed coronavirus cases in the country to 500,577, the second highest in Southeast Asia. — A Chinese province grappling with a spike in coronavirus cases is reinstating tight restrictions on weddings, funerals and other family gatherings, threatening violators with criminal charges. Muhyiddin obtained royal consent last week to declare a coronavirus emergency, slammed by critics as a desperate bid to cling to power amid defections from his ruling coalition. Malaysia has recorded more than 158,000 coronavirus cases, including 601 deaths. Nepal has recorded 267,322 coronavirus cases, including 1,959 deaths.

Health workers shift a box containing COVID-19 vaccine from a vehicle to a cold storage at Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. WELLINGTON – India has started shipping COVID-19 vaccines to multiple cities, four days ahead of a nationwide inoculation drive. The first vaccine shipments contain the COVISHIELD vaccine made by the Serum Institute and developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. — Indonesia has received the raw materials to begin making 15 million doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine. Another Indian, HS Prannoy, an unidentified German and an Egyptian also tested positive on Monday, but their retests were found to be negative.

An electronic shop worker wearing a face mask watches a live broadcast of Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at a shopping outlet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Malaysia's king Tuesday approved a coronavirus emergency that will prorogue parliament and halt any bids to seek a general election in a political reprieve for embattled Muhyiddin. With more UMNO lawmakers expected to follow suit, he said the emergency was an admission of defeat by Muhyiddin. He pledged to call a general election once the crisis has eased and it is safe to hold polls. King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said at the time that existing laws were sufficient to halt the virus spread.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, arrives for the opening of the first virtual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit, hosted by Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – Leaders from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, including U.S. President Donald Trump, pledged Friday to work toward free, open and non-discriminatory trade and investment to revive their coronavirus-battered economies. The APEC leaders’ meeting was the first since 2018 after last year’s host, Chile, canceled the annual summit due to violent domestic protests. Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his remarks, urged countries to “defend multilateralism” and called for the establishment of an “Asia-Pacific free trade zone at an early date." APEC leaders adopted the Putrajaya Vision 2040, a new 20-year growth vision to replace the Bogor Goals named after the Indonesian town where leaders agreed in 1994 to free and open trade and investment.

A man walks in front of a poster of UMNO ( United Malays National Organisation) President Ahmad Zahid at UMNO headquarter in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. A key ally has reaffirmed support for Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, offering him a respite after his failed bid to declare a coronavirus emergency, but his political survival still hangs in the balance. The UMNO, the biggest party in the unelected governing coalition was angry at being sidelined amid rivalry with Muhyiddin's own Malay party. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

A key ally has reaffirmed support for Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, offering him a respite after his failed bid to declare a coronavirus emergency, but his political survival still hangs in the balance. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – A key ally's reaffirmed support for Malaysia's prime minister offers him a respite after his failed bid to declare a coronavirus emergency, but his political survival still hangs in the balance. “Muhyiddin can now cling on to his political survival only at the whims of UMNO, which sees unresolved factional struggles. The king met Anwar earlier this month but has postponed meetings with party leaders to verify Anwar’s claim of a majority support. said Muhyiddin’s emergency plan was really an admission of defeat but he received “an indirect slap on the face” from the king.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin attends a parliament session at lower house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 13, 2020. Muhyiddin said Monday, Oct. 26, 2020 his government was prioritizing protecting people from COVID-19 amid a new outbreak after the king rejected an emergency proposal that critics saw as an undemocratic attempt to hold onto power. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin attends a parliament session at lower house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia's prime minister faced calls to resign from both sides of the political aisle Monday after the king rebuffed his proposal for a coronavirus emergency that critics saw as an undemocratic attempt to hold onto power. If he is unable to pass the bill, pressure will build for him to resign or call new elections. Calls for Muhyiddin to resign were being made on both sides. He wrote on Facebook that “Muhyiddin should step down.”Opposition lawmaker Wong Chen called for the premier to resign or fire ministers who proposed the emergency.

Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah waves as he leaves National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. National Palace statement says Malay rulers has decided not to accede to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request to declare a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah waves as he leaves National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. National Palace statement says Malay rulers has decided not to accede to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request to declare a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia's king on Sunday rejected a proposal by embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to declare a state of emergency to fight a new outbreak of the coronavirus. The king can declare a state of emergency that allows the country to be governed through ordinances that cannot be challenged in court. Some media outlets have cited sources as saying that Muhyiddin wanted an “economic emergency” to merely suspend Parliament, without any curfew.

Anwar met the king Tuesday in a bid to form a new government after claiming he had secured a majority in Parliament. Anwar said he showed he has the support of over 120 lawmakers, which would allow him to unseat Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. It said the king advised Anwar “to abide by and respect the legal process" based on the constitution. Allies in his Malay-centric coalition also denied supporting Anwar, and branded Anwar a “desperado” for seeking to wrest power during the pandemic. Mahathir became prime minister a second time.

The health ministry said 321 cases have been identified in the factory cluster after the first patient was diagnosed at a hospital two days ago. The last three weeks have seen a gradual decline in its reported infections. — South Korea has reported 75 new cases of the coronavirus as infections steadily rise in the greater capital area. — Japan and South Korea have agreed to resume business travel between them starting Oct. 8, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. South Korea has reported slightly more than 400 deaths from the coronavirus, while Japan has confirmed about 1,600.

(Michigan Office of the Governor via AP, File)LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan’s health department issued a mask requirement and other coronavirus restrictions Monday, just days after the state Supreme Court invalidated a 75-year-old emergency powers law that underpinned Gov. ___FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Now that he’s become infected with the coronavirus, President Donald Trump needs to set a “better example” during the pandemic, and he should start by always wearing a mask in public, Kentucky Gov. The Democratic governor said these changes to his coronavirus restrictions will be included in the latest emergency order he intends to release later this week. “Upon learning of the president’s positive COVID-19 test, we immediately enacted a 14-day quarantine for all staff who worked the party. Hancock’s statement came after the weekend disclosure that a total of 15,841 virus cases weren’t tabulated from Sept. 25 to Oct. 2.

Students in the Philippines began classes at home Monday after the coronavirus pandemic forced remote-learning onto an educational system already struggling to fun schools. Nearly 25 million students enrolled this year, mostly in 47,000 public schools nationwide that would have to be replicated in homes and enlist the help of parents and guardians as co-teachers. The Philippines has reported more than 322,400 infections, the highest in Southeast Asia, with more than 5,700 deaths. — India registered 74,442 new coronavirus cases, driving the country’s tally to 6.6 million. It still is registering the highest number of daily cases globally and is soon expected to cross the U.S. which has 7.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases.

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin narrowly won a motion to boot the parliament speaker Monday, scraping through the first test of his support nearly five months after taking power. Its success could thwart the opposition's bid of a no-confidence vote against Muhyiddin, analysts said. Lawmakers engaged in heated debates over Muhyiddins unprecedented proposal to replace the house speaker with his own candidate. Then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned in protest of the plan, and filed a motion of no-confidence against his former party ally. Chin said the speaker replacement suggested parliament cannot act as an effective check and balance against Muhyiddin.