Goverment

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy comprising 13 states and a federal territory. Independent from British colonial rule since 1957, the Malaysian government is regulated by the parliment comprising the Yang di-Pertuan Agung (king), who is elected for a five-year term from among the sultans of the states, and two houses : the House of Representatives, to which members are elected once every five years, and the Senates, to which members are nominated. The executives functions of the government carried out by the cabinet, led by the prime minister.

The current prime minister in Malaysia is Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who came into office in October 2003. The political entity which has been in power since Independence is the Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition representing numerous race-based parties.