Malaysia
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- CONSTITUTION
- August 31, 1957, amended several times, last in 2007
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on English common law; legislative acts reviewed by the Supreme Court; Islamic law applies to Muslims in family and religious matters
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Senate (Dewan Negara) and House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- civil courts include: Federal Court, Court of Appeal, and High Courts; Sharia courts include Sharia Court of Appeal, High Sharia Court, and subordinate Sharia tribunals. Sharia court decisions cannot be appealed in civil courts
RELIGIONS
60% Muslims, 19% Buddhists, 9% Christians, 6% Hindus, other
From the country
- MARCH 15, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN TO HANG FOR 2017 MURDER
The High Court in Sibu on 14 March 2019 sentenced a 35-year-old man to death after finding him guilty of committing murder.
MARCH 6, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: BAR URGES PAKATAN GOVT TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY ‘ONCE AND FOR ALL’
The Malaysian Bar on 5 March 2019 called upon the Pakatan Harapan government to keep its promise and abolish the death penalty at the upcoming Parliament sitting.
JANUARY 30, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE ON CHINESE NATIONAL FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Court of Appeal in Putrajya on 28 January 2019 upheld the death sentence of a Chinese national who was convicted for trafficking in 4,401.5g of methamphetamine at the Senai International Airport in Johor in 2014.
JANUARY 22, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NO REFERENDUM ON ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY, SAYS MINISTER
The government will not hold a public vote on the proposal to abolish the death penalty.
JANUARY 18, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THREE MURDERERS TO HANG AFTER FINAL APPEALS DISMISSED
Three men lost their final appeals against their death sentences for murder convictions at the Federal Court in Kota Kinabalu on 15 January 2019.
- JANUARY 1, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
- NOVEMBER 30, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: CARWASH WORKER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING IN JOHOR
A carwash worker on 28 November 2018 was sentenced to death by the High Court in Johor Baru for distributing 99.16g of methamphetamine two years ago.
- NOVEMBER 15, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: CABINET SCRAPS DEATH SENTENCE FOR 33 OFFENCES
The Cabinet has decided that the death penalty for 33 offences under eight acts of law be abolished, and this includes Section 302 of the Penal Code (murder), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong on 13 November 2018.
OCTOBER 26, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: MAN TO HANG FOR KILLING WOMAN IN CONFINEMENT
A security guard was sentenced to death by the Shah Alam High Court on 15 October 2018 after he was found guilty of murdering a woman in confinement, three years ago.
OCTOBER 17, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed of the Penang High Court on 8 October 2018 sentenced Keow Sze Teve, 36, to death for dangerous drug trafficking and 16 years jail with 12 strokes of rotan for possession of firearms and bullets.
OCTOBER 16, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: CABINET AGREES ON MORATORIUM OF DEATH SENTENCE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISTRIBUTOR
The Cabinet has agreed to place a moratorium on the death sentence of Muhammad Lukman, who was sentenced for possessing, processing and distributing medical marijuana (cannabis oil), The Star reported on 12 October 2018.
- OCTOBER 12, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: GOVT HALTS EXECUTION OF 1,200 DEATH ROW INMATES
The execution of the death penalty on 1,200 death row inmates nationwide will be halted with immediate effect, nst.com reported on 11 October 2018.