PETALING JAYA (ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Peninsular Malaysia has been hit by a cold spell, with temperatures dipping to 22 deg C in the Klang Valley area that includes Kuala Lumpur.

On Twitter, Malaysians expressed both shock at the cool weather, as well as how much they loved it.

"The weather in Malaysia is actually cold. Let me repeat - THE WEATHER IN MALAYSIA IS ACTUALLY COLD. This literally does not happen all the time living in a tropical climate," @mabeses wrote.

While @UzairJasmin posted: "Dear Malaysia. I love this kind of temperature and weather. Can every day be like this?"

Even Prime Minister Najib Razak weighed in on his arrival home from Saudi Arabia, tweeting on Friday morning (Jan 12): "Wah it's really cold in Malaysia today, like Jeddah! Alhamdulillah (God be praised) back home safe." He was in Saudi Arabia from Monday on a working trip.

In Singapore, following a number of days of intense rain, temperatures across parts of Singapore dipped to a low of 22.7 deg C on Wednesday. The forecast from the National Environment Agency is for cooler days ahead. It said the temperature could dip below 22 deg C.

The cold weather has led to some Malaysian netizens to lament about having to wear a jacket in what is supposed to be a tropical country.

"I had to wear a jacket, which feels dumb in the tropics," tweeted @diandujour.

Related Story The Big Chill: Coping with the cold and the rain in Singapore

The Malaysian Meteorological Department said there is no sign of temperatures dipping further. It said the current phenomenon is due to the north-east monsoon affecting the east coast of the peninsula.

"The rainy season in the area is pushing the north-eastern wind and the clouds to the west.

"That is why we have seen less sun these past few days and the temperature has not risen," said a Met spokesman when contacted.

He added that the cold spell is expected to end on Sunday.

"We can expect to see more sun from Sunday onwards," he said.

In January 2014, Malaysian media reports say the temperature dipped to 17 deg C in Kuala Krai, in Kelantan state, due to a cold air surge caused by the north-east monsoon too.