CHAPTER 2

THE STRUCTURE OF MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT

 CONCEPT OF FEDERALISM
• Malaysian government applies the separation of powers.
• 3 powers of government are legislative, executive and judiciary powers.
• The constitution separate the governing powers among the legislative,
executive and judiciary authorities both at Federal and states government
levels.
• In some parts, the federal and state government shared the powers for
example in items listed in concurrent list.
Role and functions of Federal and states
Government
 3 levels of government

Federal government (headed by

YDP Agong)

State government
(ruled by sultans except for Melaka, P.Pinang,
Sabah and Sarawak-Governed by Y. di-
Pertuan Negeri or Governor of the state)

Local government ( city councils-headed by mayor, municipal and

district councils-headed by President)
 Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa
Billah Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji
Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah
from 31 January 2019
•Head of the country: YDP upon advice PM and the cabinets in
accordance with Federal constitution 1957.

•YDPA also Islamic Religious head for states of Penang, Melaka, Sabah,
Sarawak and Federal territories.
•YDPA also the supreme commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces.
•Elected every 5 years in rotation from among the nine sultans as
determined by conference of rulers.
•Conference of ruler responsible for the election and remover of YDP
Agong.
 Federal government
• Each ministries headed by minister
• Responsible to formulate, plan, control and coordinating policies within its portfolio
MINISTRIES

• Headed by Director General who is also the chief administrative officer

• The functions of department depend on policies set by the respective ministry
DEPARTMENT

• Can be classified as statutory or non statutory body.

• Statutory bodies: established by the specific parliamentary act and this act specify the
purpose and specific powers of autonomy for the statutory body towards achieving its
PUBLIC objective.
ENTERPRISE • Non-statutory bodies: established accordance to Companies Act 1965
 States Government
• Only for Sabah and Sarawak
ministries

• Example state Religious Department, State

departments Development office and Public work division

• Example of statutory bodies: SEDC, MSN and

Public
enterprise
State Library Corporation
Local government

city

municipal

district