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 28, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: VIETNAMESE MOM ESCAPES GALLOWS, JAILED 20 YEARS FOR DRUG POSSESSION INSTEAD
A Vietnamese woman shed tears of joy in court after she was spared the gallows in Malaysia for allegedly
MARCH 25, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THREE MEN HANGED FOR MURDER IN 'SECRETIVE' EXECUTION
Malaysia has executed three men for murder, their lawyer said, in what rights groups called a “secretive”
- JANUARY 1, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
DECEMBER 28, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NIGERIAN SENTENCED TO HANG FOR DRUGS SMUGGLING
The Malaysian high court sentenced a Nigerian citizen to death for drugs trafficking.
DECEMBER 8, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD FOR MAN CONVICTED OF KILLING BRITONS
The Court of Appeal in Kuching, Malaysia, dismissed the appeal of a fishmonger who was convicted and
NOVEMBER 30, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: CHINESE NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING IN SYABU
A Chinese national was sentenced to death by hanging after she was found guilty of trafficking drugs into
- NOVEMBER 22, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: SULTAN IBRAHIM GRANTS CLEMENCY TO FOUR ON DEATH ROW
The Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, has granted clemency to four prisoners on death row
NOVEMBER 17, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: GOVERNMENT WANTS MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED
The Government wants to abolish the mandatory death sentence for drug-related offences and says the punishment should be left to the discretion of the judge.
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: IRANIAN WOMAN, MOTHER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
An Iranian woman and her mother were sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for trafficking in
- MAY 14, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: NIGERIAN FEMALE STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A female Nigerian student was sent to the gallows by the Malaysian High Court after she was found guilty of
- MAY 9, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TWO INDONESIANS SPARED FROM DEATH PENALTY
Two Indonesians spared recently from the death penalty by a Malaysian court are slated to return soon to
- APRIL 23, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCES FOR FIVE CONVICTS
Malaysia's highest court upheld the conviction and death penalty of three Mexican brothers, a Singaporean and a Malaysian in a high-profile drugs case.