Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Paramount Ruler TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku
Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1994) and Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan
TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin
Alam Shah (since 26 April 1994) were elected for five-year terms by
and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since
16 July 1981) was appointed by the paramount ruler; Deputy Prime
Minister ANWAR bin Ibrahim (since 1 December 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the paramount ruler from among the
members of Parliament
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) Senate (Dewan Negara): elected members serve six-year terms; elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (58 total, 32 appointed by the paramount ruler and 26 elected by the state legislatures) seats by party NA House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat): members elected for five-year terms; elections last held NA April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - National Front 63%, other 37%; seats - (192 total) National Front 162, DAP 9, PBS 8, PAS 7, Semangat'46 6
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount
ruler
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; Spirit of '46 (Semangat '46),
Tengku Tan Sri RAZALEIGH, president
Sabah: National Front, SALLEH Said Keruak, Sabah Chief Minister,
Sakaran DANDAI, head of Sabah State; United Sabah National
Organizaton (USNO), leader NA; Sabah United Party (Parti Bersatu
Sabah, PBS), Datuk Seri Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan
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
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, UN, UNAVEM III,
UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador DALI Mahmud Hashim
chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2700
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7661
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador John R. MALOTT
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur, APO AP
96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2489011
FAX: [60] (3) 2422207
Flag: 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 fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
Economy ———-