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
OCTOBER 18, 2012IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO INDONESIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A BURGLAR
Two Indonesian migrant workers from Pontianak, West Kalimantan, were sentenced to
OCTOBER 10, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 930 ON DEATH ROW
A total 930 death row prisoners were in jails in Malaysia as of Aug 31, their cases pending
OCTOBER 9, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO CUSTOMS OFFICERS TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia, the High Court sentenced two Customs preventive officers to death by hanging
SEPTEMBER 28, 2012IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO WOMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUGS
Malaysian courts sentenced two women, a Filipino and Indonesian, to death in separate
SEPTEMBER 14, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SIBU COURT SPARES FOUR KIDNAPPERS THE NOOSE
In Malaysia, the High Court sentenced a woman and three men to life imprisonment
- AUGUST 30, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
an unemployed man was sent to the gallows by the Johor Baharu High Court
an unemployed man was sent to the gallows by the Johor Baharu High Court
- AUGUST 30, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
the Putrajaya Federal Court, in Malaysia...
the Putrajaya Federal Court, in Malaysia...
- AUGUST 29, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
two Iranians were sent to the gallows after the Malaysian High Court
two Iranians were sent to the gallows after the Malaysian High Court
- AUGUST 29, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
an odd-job worker escaped the gallows
an odd-job worker escaped the gallows
- AUGUST 21, 2012JapanDEATH PENALTY
a Malaysian court handed down a death sentence
a Malaysian court handed down a death sentence
AUGUST 2, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FILIPINO EX-CON SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR MURDER
The High Court in Malaysia sent a Filipino ex-convict to the gallows after he was found guilty
JULY 31, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: IRANIAN FAMILY ON DRUG CHARGE SAVED FROM THE GALLOWS
Three members of an Iranian family were saved from the gallows when the High Court