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
- JANUARY 7, 2007MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Ghazalee Kassim and two other unidentified men were convicted and sentenced to death for trafficking 50kg of cannabis.
- JANUARY 1, 2007MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder, rape, drug crimes, treason and possession of arms.
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder, rape, drug crimes, treason and possession of arms.
- DECEMBER 12, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. MAN TO FACE GALLOWS FOR RAPE, MURDER
the Federal Court of Malaysia rejected the appeal of Hanafi Mat Hassan, 38, against the death sentence handed down to him for the rape and murder of a 24-year-old computer engineer.
- NOVEMBER 27, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCES FOR CANNABIS TRAFFICKING
Abdul Rashid Rahman, a 43 year old unemployed man involved in a cannabis deal with an undercover policeman, failed in his appeal to have his death sentence commuted.
- NOVEMBER 15, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. UMNO DELEGATE CALLS FOR DEATH SENTENCE ON
a Kedah Umno delegate proposed that Malays who wanted to abandon Islam must obtain the consent from the Sultan to do so or face death.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2006IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. DEATH SENTENCE ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT UPHELD
a court in Malaysia upheld the death sentence on an Indonesian illegal immigrant who was convicted of murdering a female tenant in a five-room house occupied by them in Selayang Baru.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA’S FORMER PRIME MINISTER “HORRIFIED” BY SADDAM’S DEATH PENALTY
Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad expressed “horror and disgust” over the trial and sentencing of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to death.
- NOVEMBER 3, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE. MALAYSIAN HANGED FOR MURDER OF EIGHT-YEAR-OLD CHINESE GIRL
a Malaysian man who murdered an eight-year-old Chinese girl was hanged after losing his appeal, Singapore's prisons department said.
- OCTOBER 31, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. MAN TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Rasahiman Rasul, 30, was sentenced to death by the Shah Alam High Court, Malaysia, for trafficking in 1,039gm of cannabis on June 16, 2003.
- OCTOBER 30, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING CANNABIS
Osman Md Yatim, 63, was sentenced to death in Malaysia for trafficking 3,979g of cannabis.
- OCTOBER 17, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD FOR TRAFFICKING 1KG OF CANNABIS
the Federal Court in Putrajaya, Malaysia, dismissed Mohd Azhar Saad’s appeal against his death sentence for trafficking in almost 1kg of cannabis.
- OCTOBER 11, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE. MALAYSIAN TO HANG FOR MURDER
a Singapore court sentenced Malaysian national Lee Chez Kee to hang for the 13-year-old murder of a university professor. Kee, 37, was found guilty of murdering Lee Kok Cheong while attempting to rob the Singapore professor at his home with two other acco