Country name
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Malaysia
former:
Malayan Union
Data code
MY
Government type
constitutional monarchy
note:
Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; nominally headed by the paramount
ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary
rulers in all but Melaka and Penang, where governors are appointed by Malaysian
Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution;
Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives,
with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated
to federal government; Sarawak - self-governing state, holds 27 seats in House
of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and
other powers delegated to federal government
National capital
Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories*
(wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang,
Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
note:
the city of Kuala Lumpur is located within the federal territory of
Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable
Independence
31 August 1957 (from UK)
National holiday
National Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
Legal system
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:
Paramount Ruler TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman (since
26 April 1994) and Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz
Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah (since 26 April 1994)
head of government:
Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy
Prime Minister ANWAR bin Ibrahim (since 1 December 1993)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
with consent of the paramount ruler
elections:
paramount ruler and deputy paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary
rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 4 February
1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister designated from among the members
of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader
of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives
becomes prime minister
election results:
TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman elected paramount
ruler; Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin
Alam Shah elected deputy paramount ruler
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara
(69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 elected by the state legislatures;
elected members serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or
Dewan Rakyat (192 seats; members elected by popular vote directly weighted
toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last held NA April 1995 (next to be held by 2000); House of
Representatives - last held 24-25 April 1995 (next to be held by 2000)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - National Front 63%, other 37%;
seats by party - National Front 162, DAP 9, PBS 8, PAS 7, Spirit of '46 6
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler
Political parties and leaders
Peninsular Malaysia:
National Front, a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by
United Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru), MAHATHIR bin Mohamad;
Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), LING Liong Sik; Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia,
LIM Keng Yaik; Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), S. Samy VELLU; major opposition
parties are Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), Ustaz Fadzil Mohamed NOOR and the
Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM Kit Siang
Sabah:
National Front, dominated by the UMNO; Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP),
Datuk YONG Teck Lee; Parti Democratic Sabah (PDS), Bernard DOMPOK; Parti Bersatu
Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), Datuk Joseph KURUP
Sarawak:
National Front, composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB),
Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud; Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP),
Datuk Amar Stephen YONG Kuat Tze; Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Datuk Amar
James WONG; Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk Leo MOGGIE; major opposition
party is Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM Kit Siang
note:
subsequent to the election, the following parties were dissolved - Spirit
of '46 (Semangat '46), Tengku Tan Sri RAZALEIGH, president, and Sabah United
Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah, PBS), Datuk Seri Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan
International organization participation
APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIL, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission:
Ambassador DALI Mahmud Hashim
chancery:
2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 328-2700
FAX:
[1] (202) 483-7661
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission:
Ambassador John R. MALOTT
embassy:
376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address:
P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur or American Embassy Kuala Lumpur,
APO AP 96535-8152
telephone:
[60] (3) 248-9011
FAX:
[60] (3) 242-2207
Flag description
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom);
there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow
crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are
traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
NOTE: The information regarding Malaysia on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Malaysia Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Malaysia Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.