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 JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26
April 1994); Deputy Paramount Ruler SALAHUDDIN ibni 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 Paramount Ruler from members of
parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlimen)
Senate (Dewan Negara): consists of 58 members, 32 appointed by the
paramount ruler and 26 elected by the state legislatures (2 from each
state) for six-year terms; elections last held NA (next to be held
NA); results - NA
House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat): consists of 180 members,
elected for five-year terms; elections last held 21 October 1990 (next
to be held by December 1995); results - National Front 52%, other 48%;
seats - (180 total) National Front 127, DAP 20, PAS 7, independents 4,
other 22; note - within the National Front, UMNO won 71 seats and MCA
won 18 seats

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

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
Sabah: National Front, SALLEH Said Keruak, Sabah Chief Minister,
Sakaran DANDAI, head of Sabah State; United Sabah National Organizaton
(USNO), leader NA
Sarawak: coalition Sarawak National Front composed of the Party Pesaka
Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Patinggi Amar Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud;
Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Datuk Amar James WONG Soon Kai;
Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Datuk Amar James WONG; Parti Bansa
Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk Leo MOGGIE; major opposition parties are
Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM Kit Siang and Pan-Malaysian Islamic
Party (PAS), Fadzil NOOR

Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77,
GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,