Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, nominally headed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong ("paramount ruler"), customarily referred to as the king. Kings are elected for 5-year terms from among the nine sultans of the peninsular Malaysian states. The king also is the leader of the Islamic faith in Malaysia.
Executive power is vested in the cabinet led by the prime minister; the Malaysian constitution stipulates that the prime minister must be a member of the lower house of parliament who, in the opinion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commands a majority in parliament. The cabinet is chosen from among members of both houses of parliament and is responsible to that body.
The bicameral parliament consists of the Senate (Dewan Negara) and the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat). All 70 Senate members sit for 3-year terms, which are normally extended for an additional 3 years; 26 are elected by the 13 state assemblies, and 44 are appointed by the king. Representatives of the House are elected from single-member districts by universal adult suffrage. The 219 members of the House of Representatives are elected to parliamentary terms lasting up to 5 years. Legislative power is divided between federal and state legislatures.
The Malaysian legal system is based on English common law. The Federal Court reviews decisions referred from the Court of Appeal; it has original jurisdiction in constitutional matters and in disputes between states or between the federal government and a state. Peninsular Malaysia and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak each have a high court.
The federal government has authority over external affairs, defense, internal security, justice (except civil law cases among Malays or other Muslims and other indigenous peoples, adjudicated under Islamic and traditional law), federal citizenship, finance, commerce, industry, communications, transportation, and other matters.
Principal Government Officials
Prime Minister--Dato' Seri Utama Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi
Foreign Minister--Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Ambassador to the U.S.--Dato' Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid
Ambassador to the UN--Datuk Rastam Mohd Isa |
Dato' Seri Utama Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi |
Political Conditions
Malaysia's predominant political party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), has held power in coalition with other parties since Malaya's independence in 1957. In 1973, an alliance of communally based parties was replaced with a broader coalition--the Barisan Nasional--composed of 14 parties. In September 1998, then-Prime Minister Mahathir dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and accused Anwar of immoral and corrupt conduct. Although Anwar was convicted on both charges in 1999 and 2000, the trials were viewed as seriously flawed (Malaysia’s Federal Court eventually freed Anwar after overturning his immoral conduct conviction in September 2004). Mahathir replaced Anwar in 1999 with Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
On October 31, 2003, Prime Minister Mahathir stepped down voluntarily after 22 years in power, and his successor, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, was sworn into office. Abdullah won an overwhelming victory in March 21, 2004 general elections, with Barisan Nasional winning 199 of 219 seats in the lower house of parliament. UMNO itself won 110 seats. PAS was reduced to six seats in parliament and lost control of the state of Terengganu. The socialist Democratic Action Party (DAP), with predominately urban ethnic Chinese support, won 12 seats in parliament, and party chairman Lim Kit Siang became Leader of the Opposition in parliament.
Subdivisions
13 states and three federal territories (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan Island, Putrajaya federal administrative territory). Each state has an assembly and government headed by a chief minister. Nine of these states have hereditary rulers, generally titled "sultans," while the remaining four have appointed governors in counterpart positions.
Political parties
Barisan Nasional (National Front)--a coalition comprising the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and 13 other parties, most of which are ethnically based; Democratic Action Party (DAP); Parti Islam se Malaysia (PAS); Parti KeADILan Rakyat. There are more than 30 registered political parties, including the foregoing, not all of which are represented in the federal parliament.
Suffrage: Universal adult (voting age 21).
Defense
In the early 1990s, Malaysia undertook a major program to expand and modernize its armed forces. This included procurement of F/A-18 and C-130 aircraft from the United States. In 2003, the government announced a major purchase of Russian Sukhoi aircraft. Malaysia is also acquiring submarines from France and tanks from Poland.
Foreign Relations
As a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN--established 1967), Malaysia views regional cooperation as the cornerstone of its foreign policy. Malaysia was elected chair of the 39th ASEAN Standing Committee and hosted the ASEAN Summit and East Asia Summit in December 2005. Malaysia will also host the ASEAN Ministerial and ASEAN Regional Forum meetings in July 2006. In world affairs, Malaysia maintains cooperative relations with the United States, the European Union, and Japan. Malaysia is an active member of the Commonwealth, the UN, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
In 2003, Malaysia assumed the chairmanship of both the OIC and the NAM. Malaysia also is a member of APEC and hosted the 1998 Leaders' Meeting. Malaysia maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea. Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Malaysia's international affiliations include the UN and many of its specialized agencies, including UNESCO, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the International Atomic Energy Agency; General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; Association of Southeast Asian Nations; Asian Development Bank; Five-Power Defense Arrangement; South-South Commission (G-15); Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Commonwealth; Non-Aligned Movement; and Organization of Islamic Conference.
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