Government of Malaysia

Malaysia practices parliamentary democracy based on universal suffrage as inherited from the British. Politically, it consists of 13 states and the three Federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

The Supreme Head of State is the His Majesty the King, who is elected every five years from among the nine Sultans. The government is headed by a Prime Minister, who must be an elected Member of Parliament.

Parliament itself consists of two Houses: the House of Representatives (elected members of parliament) and the Senate, to which members are nominated by His Majesty the King.

The Prime Minister heads the Cabinet, which is made up of the various Ministers of Government. Each of the 13 states of Malaysia also has its own Chief Minister or Menteri Besar, who is elected to office, and its own State Assembly.