KUALA LUMPUR -- A brutal wave of COVID-19 infections has pushed Malaysia back into "total lockdown" mode, effective Tuesday, prompting the government to unveil over $9 billion worth of extra stimulus and clouding the prospects for holding a long-anticipated election anytime soon.
The country has been under a coronavirus state of emergency, approved by the king, since Jan. 11, when it reported 2,486 new daily infections. Since then, the figure has nearly quadrupled, hitting a high of 9,020 on Saturday.
