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, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: THREE SENT TO GALLOWS FOR TRAFFICKING DRUGS
Malaysian national Ong Kok Soo, 60, and Singaporeans Lau Ching Hong...
- OCTOBER 14, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: BAR WANTS DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED
the Malaysian Bar Council called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to abolish the death penalty as part of his reform agenda.
- OCTOBER 14, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN MALAYSIA FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Indian national Abu Baker Siddiq Abdul Kader, 29, was sentenced to death by the Malaysian High Court for possessing 710 grams of Ketamine and other illicit drugs at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on August 6, 2010. He was also sentenced to a year
- OCTOBER 6, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: PUBLIC FORUM ON THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
a public forum promoting the abolition of the death penalty will be held on October 13 to create awareness among Malaysians as well as better understand public opinion on the issue.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: INDIAN NATIONAL TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Malaysian High Court Justice Datuk Wira Mohtarudin Baki sent Indian national Munuswamy Sundar
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER UPHELD
Datin Zahari, Datuk Skinner and Datuk Albert of the Malaysian Appellate court upheld the death sentence of P. Balan Subramaniam for murdering his wife R.Angeladevi, 48.
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TOUR BUS DRIVER ESCAPES GALLOWS
in Malaysia, Appeal Court Justice Zaleha and Datuk Skinner and Datuk Albert set aside the death sentence of tour bus driver Mahadzar, 37, and sentenced him to life imprisonment on the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TRIO TO HANG FOR DRUGS
Kwok Weng Fatt, 62, Abdul Rahman Lee Abdullah, 54, and Nurul Jannah Seng
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: SINGAPOREAN GETS CHANCE TO OVERTURN DEATH SENTENCE
Singaporean woman Noor Atiqah M. Lasim, 26, who was sentenced to death in 2011 for drug trafficking in Malaysia, was successful before the Court of Appeal in her application to introduce fresh evidence to overturn her conviction.
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN’S DEATH SENTENCE AFFIRMED
Judges Matjeraie, Ma’ah, and Ali of the Kota Kinabalu Court of Appeal in Malaysia affirmed the death sentence of labourer Ejah Jaafar, 51, for murdering Hajan Jaiman, 37, in Jalan Utara, Sandakan, on October 21, 2006.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: RUBBER TAPPER TO HANG FOR GIRL’S MURDER
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Zakiah Kassim of the Malaysian High Court sentenced rubber tapper Mohd Haris Abdul Talib, 28, from Kupang in Baling, to a mandatory death sentence.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: MALAYSIAN TRIO TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
three Malaysians found in possession of 45kg of drugs were sent to the gallows