MALAYSIA

INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS

Malaysia Government
-Malaysia is a parliamentary democracy with a federal constitutional
monarchy.
-The Paramount Ruler, commonly referred to as the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong, is the head of state as well as the leader of the Islamic faith in
Malaysia.
-The Parliament is bicameral which the members are elected by direct
vote of the people and led by the Prime Ministed who is the head of
government appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan
 Agong
-Malaysia consists of 13 states and 3 Federal territories, among the 13 states 4 do
not have hereditary rulers instead they have governors and do not participate in
the selection of the Yang

di-Pertuan Agong and are appointed by the Yang di-pertuan Agong for a 4 year
term.
-ThisYang di-Pertuan Agong is selected for a five-year term from among their own
number by the nine hereditary rulers (sultans) of Peninsular Malaysia.
-Malaysia is separated into three government which are: Federal Government, State
Government and Local Government.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

•FEDERAL GOVERNMENT- ALSO KNOWN AS THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

WHO HAS THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY IN MALAYSIA AND IS FORMALLY
HEADED BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA ALSO KNOWN AS THE
HEAD

OF GOVERNMENT.
◙LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
-HAS THE POWER TO MAKE LAWS OVER MATTERS UNDER THE
FEDERAL RULING. THE SOURCE OF PARLIAMENTARY LAWS ARE GUIDED BY
THE MALAYSIAN CONSTITUTION AND SHARIA LAW.
-IS BICAMERAL AND DIVIDED INTO THE SENATE WHICH IS THE UPPER
HOUSE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AS THE LOWER HOUSE.
-THE SENATE (DEWAN RAKYAT) IS COMPOSED OF 70 MEMBERS, 44
WHICH ARE APOINTED BY THE KING BASED ON THE ADVICE OF THE PRIME
MINISTER AND THE REMAINING 26 ARE ELECTED BY THE

13 STATES. SENATORS SERVE FOR A TERM OF 3 YEARS WITH MAXIMUM OF

2 TERMS.
-The House of Representatives (Dewan Negara) is
composed of 222 members and are elected
directly by the electorates for a term of 5 years.
◙ Executive Branch
-The power is held by the Cabinet led by the
Prime Minister.
-The Cabinet is chosen from the members of both
houses of the parliament and are appointed by the
King upon the advice of the Prime Minister.
-The Executive Branch is considered as the most
powerufl branch of the government.
◙ Judicial Branch
-Has the role to ensure that the law and order are
followed and that justice be given.
 -Hierarchy of Courts
1. Federal Court
2. Court of Appeal
3. Two High Courts (one for
Peninsular Malaysia and one
for East Malaysia)
*Malaysia also has a Special
Court that are used against all
Royalty
 State Government
-Is led by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who is also the head of the state
-Among the States 9 are led by the Hereditary Rulers (Sultans) while 4 are led
by a Governor whom are appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and has no
monarchy.
-Each state government are created by their own respective state
constitution, each state has a unicameral state legislative chamber whose
members are elected from single-

member constituencies.
-In each state with a hereditary ruler the Menteri Besar is required to be a
Malay appointed by the Sultan upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister
while in states without

hereditary rulers, the Ketua Menteri is required to be a Dayak appointed by the

Governors.
 -The 13 States
◙Johor ◙Kedah
◙Kelantan ◙Malacca
◙Negeri Sembila ◙Pahang
◙Penang ◙Perak
◙Perlis ◙Sabah
◙Sawarak ◙Selangor
◙Terengganu
 •Local Government
-The local government in Malaysia is the lowest level among the system of
government ranking third among Federal and State.
-It has the power to collec taxes, to create laws and rules, and grand licenses
and permits for any trade in its area of jurisdiction. In addition to providing
basic amenities,

collecting and managing waste and garbage as well as planning and developing
the are under its jurisdiction
-Local authorities in Malaysia are under the state governments headed by
the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
-Local government areas and the boundaries are usually consistent with
disctrict boundaries. However in urbanized areas some districts may overlap.
 Bureaucracy
-The Malaysian bureaucracy is dominated mainly by ethnic Malay,
most are loyal to the ruling party and civil servants are forced to sign
good behavior documents that makes it easier for the government to
rule over them.
-Public servants in Malaysia are almost all ethnic Malays, this is
due to an affirmative action policy that favors the race in jobs,
education and business. In 2009 there has been a
racial breakdown within the civil service:
◙Malay 78.2% ◙Other Bumiputras 7.7% ◙Chinese 5.8% ◙Indian
4.0% ◙Others 4.2%
-Malaysia get a lot of money from oild and natural gas. The
national oild and gas company Petronas provides a substantial source
of income for the Malaysian government.
-Government Ministries, formulate national economic policies and
development programmes
-The Cabinet is responsible to formulate various development
programs and projects for the development of the country.
Examples are the New Economic Policy (NEP), the National
Development Policy (NDP) and the National Vision Policy
(NVP).
-To set the budget and finance of the country.
-The government is allowed to generate revenues from
the people through the collection of taxes, fines, summons,
custom duties, fees, etc.
-The government is allowed to plan for the various
development programs, and also to allocate the resources for
these development plans and programs.
-The Cabinet is allowed to discuss almost any issues of national interests,
except those that touch on the special rights of the Malays, Bumiputeras
and/or royal privileges. Article 153 (1): It shall be the responsibility of the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays
and Natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak, and the legitimate
interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this
Article.
-To propose and amend the law.
-Law is proposed by the Executive and introduce in Parliament with
the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd readings for approval. Most provisions for the
amendments of the constitution requires a
2/3 majority of the total number of members from both of the Houses
(Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat). The bill must be presented to the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong for the final assent.
 Taxation

- The rate of tax depends on the resident status of the

individual which is determined by the duration of his stay in
the country (as stipulated under Section 7 in the Income Tax
Act 1967). A resident individual is taxed on his chargeable
income at graduated rates from 2 percent to 30 percent
after the deduction of tax relief.
-Income Tax: All individuals are liable to pay tax on
income accrued in, derived from or remitted to Malaysia.
-Property Tax Property or Assessment Tax is levied on all
property holdings, including shops, factories, residential,
agricultural and others, situated in the areas under the
jurisdiction of local authorities.
PARTY SYSTEM - In a dominant- party system, a
single party wins approximately 60 percent or
more of the seats in legislature and two or more
other parties usually win less than 40 percent of
the seat. Opposition parties in dominant-party
system are free to contest elections. The
dominant parties have to compete for votes to
maintain its power or to gain power. This
democratic competition imposes a check and
balance on the government of the day, promotes
transparency and accountability and ensures that
service delivery to the people are prioritized or it
will be given the boot.
 ELECTION- in Malaysia include elections to public office of the political
entities that since 1963 have comprised the federation of Malaysia. At present,
elections in Malaysia exist at two levels: federal level and state level. Federal
level elections are those for membership in the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house
of Parliament, while state level elections are for membership in the various State
Legislative Assemblies. The heads of executive branch at both the federal and
state levels, the Prime Minister and Menteri Besar/Chief Ministers respectively,
are indirectly elected, usually filled by a member of the majority party/coalition
in the respective legislatures. While any state may dissolve its assembly
independently of the Federal Parliament, the traditional practice is for most
state assemblies to be dissolved at the same time as Parliament, with the
exception of Sabah and Sarawak, although these two states had held elections
simultaneously with the rest of the state, as it is the case for Sabah in elections
post-1999, and Sarawak in the 1969 and 1974 elections.
 HISTORY- The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government
of Malaysia (Malay: Kerajaan Persekutuan Malaysia), is based in the Federal
Territory of Putrajaya with the exception of the legislative branch, which is
located in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states operating
within a constitutional monarchy under the Westminster system and is
categorised as a representative democracy. The federal government of
Malaysia adheres to and is created by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia,
the supreme law of the land. The federal government adopts the principle of
separation of powers under Article 127 of the Federal Constitution of
Malaysia,[2] and has three branches: executive, legislature and judiciary.[3]
The state governments in Malaysia also have their respective executive and
legislative bodies. The judicial system in Malaysia is a federalised court
system operating uniformly throughout the country.
 Relationship with Philippines
Cultural
The people of the island complex that includes Malaysia, Indonesia and the
Philippines are ethnically similar, with most speaking closely related Malayo-Polynesian
languages. Both countries also have large Chinese minorities, who often maintain
close cross-border ties.
Economic
Malaysia and the Philippines are important trading partners. In 2002, the Philippines
was the 16th largest export market and the 9th largest import market of Malaysia.
Malaysia on the other hand is the 7th largest export market and 8th largest import
market of the Philippines. Malaysia is also second main source of foreign investments
for the Philippines among all of the members of the ASEAN countries. There is also a
Malaysia Philippines Business Council.
 Relationship with Philippines
Marine Conservation and security collaboration
Malaysia and the Philippines have participated in joint conservation measures in the
Sulu Sea, which lies between the two countries. Both countries, together with
Indonesia are working together to secure Sulu Sea against piracy and extremist
militant groups based in the southern Philippines such as the Abu Sayyaf.

Relations between the Philippines and Malaysia are deep and longstanding, as the two
countries are neighbors and ASEAN partners, and the Filipino and Malaysian peoples have
interacted since time immemorial.
Formal diplomatic relations have been nurtured through the years ever since a Philippine
legation was established in Kuala Lumpur in 1959. The Philippines-Malaysia Joint Commission
on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), which was established in 1993 and later renamed as the Joint
Commission Meeting (JCM), and other mechanisms further enhance cooperation in the
political, economic, security, tourism, cultural and other fields.
 Relationship with Philippines
The vibrancy of Philippines-Malaysia relations is manifested in the following:
In 2011, Malaysia was the Philippines' 9th largest trading partner, with total trade amounting to
US$3.7 billion; it is the Philippines' 11th largest export market, valued at US$1.098 billion; and the
8th largest import market valued at US$2.635 billion.
Malaysia is the Philippines' 11th major tourist market, with 91,752 Malaysian tourists visiting the
Philippines in 2011; on the other hand, 362,101 Filipinos visited Malaysia in the same year.
Malaysian investments in the Philippines reached US$203.03 million over the last six years (2005 to
2010).
There is a robust of Philippine or Filipino-owned companies operating in Malaysia. In August 2011,
San Miguel Corporation bought Exxon Mobil Corporation's 65% stake in Esso Malaysia Berhad for
US$610 million.
Both the Philippines and Malaysia are committed to enabling their partnership to reach full
potential notwithstanding an outstanding territorial issue.
Together with Indonesia and Brunei, the Philippines and Malaysia are members of the BIMP-EAGA
(East ASEAN Growth Area), a sub-regional grouping in ASEAN.
 Malaysia Philippines
The Philippines is a
Malaysia is a parliamentary democratic and
democracy with a federal constitutional country.
Both have
constitutional monarchy.
claims over
The Philippines is a
Sabah
Malaysia is a Muslim Roman Catholic country.
country.
The head of the state is a
The head of state is the president.
Paramount Ruler
 Political
Ideology
Creating a just society where the
prosperity of the country can be
enjoyed together in a fair and
equitable manner; Ensuring a liberal
approach towards the rich and
varied cultural traditions; Building a
progressive society that will make
use of science and modern
technology.
 Political
Culture
Malaysia's political culture has
changed dramatically since the
reform movement of 1998. The 2008
elections reflect the maturity of the
Malaysian electorate, noticeably
since 2004. The post-2008 survey
data presents a picture of a high
level of participation approximating
the "participant" political culture.