Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital; Parliament
meets in Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka,
Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor,
and Terengganu; and one federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three
components, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia 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 SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12 December
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 31 October
2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 7 January
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of
Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine
of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12 December 2001 (next
to be held NA 2006); 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 SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra
Jamalullail elected paramount ruler
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara (70
seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures)
and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next must
be held by 2009)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - BN
91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199, DAP 12, PAS 6, PKR
1, independent 1
Judicial branch:
Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the
prime minister)
Political parties and leaders:
ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN, consisting of the
following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik];
Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG
Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or
MCA [ONG Ka Ting]; Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC
[S. Samy VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Pakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu
or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James
MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG
Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or
SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH
bin Ahmad Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization
(Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK];
People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Keyveas];
Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWANI]; opposition parties:
Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh];
Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael];
Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DANDUNG]; opposition coalition Alternative
Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA consists of PAS and PKR
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ABEDA, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy
Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
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 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional
symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
