KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 12 -- Several Umno politicians have criticised Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after his announcement of the state of Emergency until August 1, purportedly to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a report by Malaysiakini, Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Razlan Muhammad Rafii described Muhyiddin's stern warning against those opposing the Emergency declaration as a loss for freedom of speech and human rights.

"When the warning was given, I believe when a person speaks things that he feels will look too subjective or they feel the government is threatened, [the government] can arrest [the person]. They can be caught even by tomorrow," he was quoted saying.

"This is the fear of emergency that all the people are worried ...