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
- JUNE 25, 2011Hong Kong SAR ChinaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: HK GETS DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a businesswoman from Hong Kong, Lam Chun Wing Joe
- JUNE 13, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: INDIAN NATIONAL TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Judge Datuk Mohd Azman Hussin of the Malaysian High Court sentenced Indian national
- JUNE 7, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: FLORIST SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
florist G. Gobinanth Reddy, 30, from Butterworth...
- MAY 24, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: THAI WOMAN ESCAPES THE GALLOWS
fruit seller, Roseedah Che Ubong, 41, a Thai national...
- MAY 24, 2011SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: MALAYSIAN MAN ESCAPES GALLOWS
in Singapore, Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong and Justices Phang and Rajah of the Court of Appeal allowed Malaysian national Galing Kujat's appeal against his death sentence for bludgeoning Chinese national Cao Ruyin, 40...
- MAY 21, 2011IndiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: GRANNY FROM INDIA GETS DEATH
62-year-old Indian national Fazila Bee Abdul Kareem, from Chennai...
- MAY 18, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE OF MAN WHO SET FIRE TO WIFE AND KIN UPHELD
judges Yusoff, Sharif and Embong of the Shah Alam Federal Court in Malaysia sentenced unemployed man M. Balamurali, 35...
- MAY 16, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH FOR MAN FOR KILLING GRANDMOTHER
Ridzuan Taib, 21, from Jitra, was sentenced to death by Judge Datuk Azman Husin of the Malaysian High Court for murdering his grandmother Basah Ahmad, 75, at a house in Taman Berlian in Jitra, on May 11, 2008, when he was 18 years old.
- MAY 16, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
furniture worker Yap Boon Thai, 38, from Bukit Mertajam, Penang, was sentenced to death by Justice Datuk Zamani Abdul Rahim of the Malaysian High Court in Alor Setar for murdering Indonesian woman Ismiyanti, in her 30s, at Sungai Petani on June 7, 2005.
- MAY 12, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: PIPE-LAYER TO HANG FOR MURDER
Judicial Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Nafsy Yasin of the Malaysian High Court sentenced pipe-layer Ali Tan Abdullah, 35, to death for murdering his neighbour...
- MAY 8, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: CAR DEALER DEALT GALLOWS FOR DEALING IN DRUGS
car dealer Airiy Azmi Mohamad, 31, from Kelantan...
- MAY 6, 2011ThailandDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TWO THAIS FREED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE ON APPEAL
Thai nationals Sureeya Wutthisat, 47, and Asan Tong, 45, had their conviction and death sentences set aside by Malaysian Court of Appeal judges Maarop and Daud and High Court Judge Wahi because the High Court had committed misdirection when assessing the