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 [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese
Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
Bumiputera 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 DUNDANG];
opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA -
consists of PAS and PKR
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador RAJMAH binti Hussain
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 50440
mailing address: US 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
Economy Malaysia
Economy - overview:
Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971
through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an
emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result, Malaysia was
hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001
grew only 0.5% because of an estimated 11% contraction in exports,
but a substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion
mitigated the worst of the recession, and the economy rebounded in
2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,
notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Iraq War led to
caution in the business community. Growth topped 7% in 2004 and 5%
per year in 2005-06. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has
profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost
of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce
government subsidies, contributing to higher inflation. Malaysia
"unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency
appreciated 6% against the dollar in 2006. Healthy foreign exchange
reserves and a small external debt greatly reduce the risk that
Malaysia will experience a financial crisis over the near term
similar to the one in 1997. The economy remains dependent on
continued growth in the US, China, and Japan - top export
destinations and key sources of foreign investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$308.8 billion (2006 est.)