Meanwhile, as opposition leaders have claimed, existing legislation already allows the government to impose stay-home orders and movement curbs for the pandemic, without the need for an emergency that allows the executive arm of government to suspend Parliament.

It is understood that the King wants to consult the eight other state monarchs before deciding on the emergency request. This is not dissimilar to when he conferred with his brother rulers in February before installing Mr Muhyiddin as prime minister following a week-long crisis that resulted in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.