Federalism in Malaysia

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Federalism in Malaysia dates back to the establishment of the Federated Malay States in Peninsular Malaysia, then known as Malaya. Federalism in Malaysia took a more concrete form with the establishment of the Federation of Malaya. The merger of Malaya with Singapore, North Borneo (now Sabah) and Sarawak further complicated the situation. As of 2008, although Malaysia is a de jure federation, many perceive it as a de facto unitary state. Some suggest that opposition triumphs in several of the 2008 state elections will alter the political climate and approach towards federalism.

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State governments

The state governments are led by chief ministers ( Menteri Besar or Ketua Menteri, the latter term being used in states without hereditary rulers), selected by the state assemblies ( Dewan Undangan Negeri ) advising their respective sultans or governors.

Resemblance of unitary state

Although Malaysia is a federal state, political scientists have suggested that its "federalism is highly centralised":

Our federalism gives the federal government not only the most legislative and executive powers but also the most important sources of revenue. State governments are excluded from the revenues of income tax, export, import and excise duties, and they are also largely restricted from borrowing internationally. They have to depend on revenue from forests, lands, mines, petroleum, the entertainment industry, and finally, transfer payments from the central government. [1]

The 2008 general elections saw a loose coalition between the Democratic Action Party, People's Justice Party and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party win a majority in five of the thirteen state legislative assemblies. Previously, the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition controlled twelve of the state governments, with the exception of Kelantan. In an editorial, The Sun suggested that this would herald changes for the relationship between state and federal governments:

[Civil servants] have got used to Malaysia acting like a unitary state because most of the time all the states are ruled by BN parties. And the states act as one because of political control effected through the state BN. But as a result of the general election five states are now ruled by non-BN parties and there is likelihood they are going to act more individually than they have been in the past. [2]

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Politics of Malaysia

Politics of Malaysia takes place in the framework of a federal representative democratic constitutional monarchy, in which the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is head of state and the Prime Minister of Malaysia is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the federal government and the 13 state governments. Federal legislative power is vested in the federal parliament and the 13 state assemblies. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature, though the executive maintains a certain level of influence in the appointment of judges to the courts.

Barisan Nasional

The National Front is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of right-wing and centre parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 42 seats in the Dewan Rakyat after opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan with 91 seats and main ruling coalition Perikatan Nasional with 50 seats.

Federation Political union of partially self-governing territories under a central government

A federation is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing status of the component states, as well as the division of power between them and the central government, is typically constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral decision of either party, the states or the federal political body. Alternatively, a federation is a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided between a central authority and a number of constituent regions so that each region retains some degree of control over its internal affairs.

Constitution of Malaysia

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore became part of the Federation. The Constitution establishes the Federation as a constitutional monarchy having the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the Head of State whose roles are largely ceremonial. It provides for the establishment and the organisation of three main branches of the government: the bicameral legislative branch called the Parliament, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate ; the executive branch led by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers; and the judicial branch headed by the Federal Court.

Chief ministers in Malaysia

In Malaysia, the Menteri Besar is the head of government of each of nine states in Malaysia with hereditary rulers. For four states without a monarch, the title Chief Minister is used. The title 'Menteri Besar' is usually untranslated in the English media in Malaysia, but is typically translated as 'Chief Minister' by foreign media. According to protocol, all Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers are styled Yang Amat Berhormat, which means "The Most Honourable".

States and federal territories of Malaysia

The states and federal territories of Malaysia are the principal administrative divisions of Malaysia. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (Negeri) and 3 federal territories.

North Borneo Federation

The North Borneo Federation, also known as North Kalimantan or Negara Kesatuan Kalimantan Utara in Malay, was a proposed political entity which would have comprised the British Colonies of Sarawak, British North Borneo and the protectorate of Brunei.

Asymmetric federalism or asymmetrical federalism is found in a federation in which different constituent states possess different powers: one or more of the substates has considerably more autonomy than the other substates, although they have the same constitutional status. The division of powers between substates is not symmetric. This is in contrast to symmetric federalism, where no distinction is made between constituent states. As a result, it is frequently proposed as a solution to the dissatisfactions that arise when one or two constituent units feel significantly different needs from the others, as the result of an ethnic, linguistic or cultural difference.

Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin was the 15th Menteri Besar of Johor, in office from 14 May 2013 to 10 May 2018. He is a Vice President and member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and led the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in the Johor State Legislative Assembly. He was the Member of Parliament of Malaysia for Johor Bahru from 1990 to 2004 and for Pasir Gudang from 2004 to 2013. He was Johor State Legislative Assemblyman for Permas from 2013 to 2018. He also served as a federal government minister from 2004 to 2013.

Government of Malaysia Federal government of Malaysia

The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government of 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 parliamentary 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.

Khalid Ibrahim Malaysian politician

Abdul Khalid bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as the 14th Menteri Besar of the state of Selangor from 2008 to 2014. He was elected to the Selangor State Assembly and the Parliament of Malaysia in 2008 and 2013 as a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), but became an independent in August 2014, coinciding with his resignation as Menteri Besar. He was sacked from the party for his refusal to vacate his Selangor Menteri Besar post.

State legislative assemblies of Malaysia Subnational legislatures of Malaysia

A state legislative assembly is the legislative branch of the state governments of each far of the 13 Malaysian states. Members of a state legislative assembly comprises elected representatives from single-member constituencies during state elections through the first-past-the-post system.

Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin

Dato' Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin is a Malaysian politician who was the Member of the Perak State Executive Council for Investment and Corridor Development under Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu from 2018 to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan state administration in 2020 and also Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly for Sungai Rapat since 2018. In addition, he was also the Member of the Malaysian Parliament for the Bukit Gantang constituency from 2009 to 2013. Nizar is a member of the National Trust Party (AMANAH). He also previously served as Menteri Besar of Perak from the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) between 2008 and 2009, before being unseated after the constitutional crisis.

Mahdzir bin Khalid is a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister of Education and Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak and former Minister Maximus Ongkili from May 2013 to the collapse of the BN administration in May 2018. He has served Chairman of the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) since May 2020 and Member of Parliament (MP) for Padang Terap since May 2013. He also served as the 9th Menteri Besar of Kedah from December 2005 to March 2008, Kedah State Executive Councillor from March 2004 to his promotion to Menteri Besar in December 2005 and Member of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Pedu from March 2004 to May 2013. He is a member and Vice-President of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the ruling BN coalition which is aligned with the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

Shahidan Kassim Malaysian politician

Shahidan bin Kassim is a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak from May 2013 to May 2018, Menteri Besar of Perlis from May 1995 to March 2008 and Member of the Perlis State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Tambun Tulang from April 1995 to May 2013. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Arau since May 2013 and from August 1986 to April 1995. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the ruling BN coalition which is aligned with the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

Perak State Legislative Assembly

The Perak State Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of the Malaysian state of Perak. It is composed of 59 members representing single-member constituencies throughout the state. Elections are held no more than five years apart, along with elections to the federal parliament and other state assemblies.

The 1977 Kelantan Emergency took place in the state of Kelantan in Malaysia. The state of emergency was declared by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Yahya Petra who also Sultan of Kelantan at the time on 8 November 1977 upon the request of the federal government following a political impasse and street violence in Kelantan. This was the fifth and last declaration of emergency in Malaya and Malaysia after the 1948-1960 Malayan Emergency, 1962 Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, 1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis and the 1969 13 May Incident.

2018 Selangor state election 14th state election of Selangor, held on 9 May 2018

The 14th Selangor state election was held on 9 May 2018 to elect the State Assemblymen of the 14th Selangor State Legislative Assembly, the legislature of the Malaysian state of Selangor.

The 13th Selangor state election was held on 5 May 2013. The Selangor State Legislative Assembly would automatically dissolve on 22 April 2013, the fifth anniversary of the first sitting, and elections must be held within sixty days of the dissolution; on or before 22 June 2013, with the date to be decided by the Election Commission of Malaysia, unless dissolved prior to that date by the Head of State, Sultan of Selangor on the advice of the Head of Government, Menteri Besar of Selangor.

References

  1. ↑ Wong, Chin Huat (25 July 2007). "Weakened federalism in the new federation". The Sun.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ "Civil servants and new state-federal relations". The Sun. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.


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