Description of Electoral System:

(courtesy of IFES election guide)

The Paramount Ruler is elected N/A to serve a 5-year term. In the Senate (Dewan Negara), 43 members are appointed by the paramount ruler to serve 3-year terms and 26 members are appointed by the state legislatures to serve 3-year terms. In the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) 222 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms.

General Election

 March 8, 2008

The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008 after the Parliament was dissolved on February 13, 2008. The results were 82 seats (out of 222 seats in parliament) or 36.9% of parliamentary seats won by the opposition parties, with Barisan Nasional winning the remaining 140 seats or 63.1%. This is the first time since 1969 that the coalition did not win a two-thirds majority in the Malaysian Parliament.