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
APRIL 12, 2022MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: YOUNG WOMAN CONVICTED OF HUSBAND’S MURDER ESCAPES THE GALLOWS
A 22-year-old woman escaped the death penalty in Malaysia on 10 April 2022, when the Muar High Court ordered her to be jailed for a period until pardoned by the Sultan of Johor, after she was found guilty of killing her husband five years ago.
FEBRUARY 7, 2022MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three locals and a China national were sentenced to death by the Sibu High Court on 4 February 2022 after they were found guilty of two drug trafficking charges.
DECEMBER 15, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 4 NIGERIANS CHARGED WITH DRUG TRAFFICKING SPARED THE GALLOWS
Four Nigerians, including two former students, on 13 December 2021 escaped the gallows in two separate appeals before the Court of Appeal for drug trafficking.
- DECEMBER 7, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING NEIGHBOUR
The High Court in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on 7 December 2021 sentenced a man to death by hanging for killing his neighbour five years ago.
NOVEMBER 30, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: BANGLADESHI STUDENT ESCAPES DEATH PENALTY FOR CANNABIS TRAFFICKING
Malaysia on 25 November 2021 set aside the death sentence handed down to a Bangladeshi engineering student for trafficking 3.8 kg of cannabis in 2017 due to an "error" by the trial judge.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: 2 SENTENCED TO DEATH FREED OVER IDENTITY DOUBTS
A storekeeper and a forklift operator escaped the gallows for murder in Malaysia as two prosecution witnesses were unable to identify the assailants, Free Malaysia Today reported on 18 November 2021.
NOVEMBER 15, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FEDERAL COURT ACQUITS NIGERIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING IN 2018
A Nigerian national escaped the gallows after the Federal Court on 11 November 2021 set aside his conviction and death sentence for drug trafficking by the High Court and the Court of Appeal in Kuching, Malaysia.
OCTOBER 27, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO MEN SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A boat operator and a labourer were sentenced to death by the Tawau High Court, Malaysia, on 26 October 2021 for trafficking 327.1gm of methamphetamine which was stored in formula milk boxes two years ago.
OCTOBER 19, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: MOTHER OF NINE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG POSSESSION AND DISTRIBUTION
A single mother of nine children was given the mandatory death penalty by the Tawau High Court in Sabah, Malaysia, on 15 October 2021 for drug distribution charges.
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2021IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIAN REPATRIATED AFTER MALAYSIAN COURT OVERTURNS DEATH PENALTY
Indonesian Consul General in Kuching Yonny Tri Prayitno on 8 September 2021 confirmed the consulate offered legal and repatriation assistance to Indonesian Ical Samerin, 36, whose death penalty verdict was overturned in Malaysia.
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: NIGERIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING NURSE
A Nigerian, Alowonle Oluwajuwon Gilbert, was sentenced to death on 4 August 2021 in Malaysia over the death of a nurse.
- JULY 15, 2021MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: YEMENI ESCAPES GALLOWS AFTER COURT RULES HE HAD AN ‘INCOMPETENT LAWYER’
A Yemeni national on 13 July 2021 escaped the gallows in Malaysia for a charge of trafficking 1.8kg of methamphetamine following his successful bid to quash a verdict of retrial from the Court of Appeal.