Malaysia
 

1 Jul 1896 - 31 Jan 1942, 1 Apr 1946 - 19 May 1950 Federated Malay States, Malay Union, Fed. of Malaya 31 Jan 1942  - 12 Sep 1945   19 May 1950 - 16 Sep 1963 Adopted 16 Sep 1963    Map of Malaysia Hear National Anthem "Negaraku" (My Country) Text of National Anthem Adopted 31 Aug 1957 Constitution  (31 Aug 1957) Capital: Kuala Lumpur Administrative & Judicial: Putrajaya (since 4 Jun 1999) (Fed. Malay States & Malaya: Kuala Lumpur 1896-1963; Japanese Malai: Singapore 16 Feb 1942 - Feb 1944, Kuala Kangsar Feb - Oct 1944, Taiping Oct 1944-Sep 1945) Currency: Ringgit (MYR); 1940-63 Malaya Dollar (MYAD); 1941-1944 Malayan Gumpyo Dollar (MYAG); 1858-1946 Straits Settlements Dollar (STSD); 1788-1858 East India Company Dollar (XEID) National Holidays: 31 Aug (1957) Hari Merdeka (Independence Day) --------------------------------- 16 Sep (1963) Hari Malaysia (Malaysia Day) Population: 31,809,660 (2018) GDP: $933.3 billion (2017)  Exports: $187.9 billion (2017) Imports: $160.7 billion (2017) Ethnic groups: Bumiputera 62% (Malays and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri), Chinese 20.6%, Indian 5.7%, other 0.8%, non-citizens 10.3% (2017) Total Active Armed Forces: 109,000 (2010) Merchant marine: 1,704 ships (2018) Religions: Muslim (official) 61.3%, Buddhist 19.8%, Christian 9.2%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 1.3%, other 0.4%, none 0.8%,  unspecified 1% (2010) International Organizations/Treaties: ADB, AIIB, ANT, APA, APEC, APM, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, BRICS (partner), BTWC, C, CICA (observer), CP, CPTPP, CTBT, CWC, D-8, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IORA, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ISESCO, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NPT, NTBT, OIC, OPCW, OPEC (cooperation), OST, PCA, PIF (partner), RCEP, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Malaysia Index Chronology 14 Aug 1826 - 29 Jan 1946   Straits Settlements (Malacca, Penang, Singapore                               and [from 1906] Labuan [see under Singapore]).  1 Jul 1896                 Federated Malay States (Negeri-Negeri Melayu                               Bersekutu) Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, and                               Selangor).  8 Jan 1941                 Japanese invasion of Malaya begins. 31 Jan 1942 - 12 Sep 1945   Japanese occupation (25th Army Military                               Administration Department; from 8 Apr 1943 Malai                               Military Administration). 20 Aug 1943 -  8 Sep 1945   Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, and Kelantan are                                annexed by Thailand. 12 Sep 1945 -  1 Apr 1946   British Military Administration (Malaya).  1 Apr 1946                 Malay Union (Kesatuan Malaya)(the federated and                               unfederated Malay states, plus Malacca and                               Penang).  1 Feb 1948                 Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu). 18 Jun 1948 - 31 Jul 1960   State of emergency declared by the U.K. against                               Communist insurgency under the Malayan National                               Liberation Army (a second Communist insurgency                               takes place 17 Jun 1968 - 2 Dec 1989). 31 Aug 1957                 Independence from Britain. 16 Sep 1963                 Malaysia (accession of Sabah [formerly North                               Borneo], Sarawak, and Singapore).  9 Aug 1965                 Withdrawal of Singapore. States and Territories Map of Malaysia Administrative divisions Map of Historical Malay states 1908 Historical Maps of Malaysia

High Commissioners of the Federated Malay States
 1 Jul 1896 - 15 Feb 1942  the Governors of the Straits 
                           Settlements (see Singapore)
15 Feb 1942 - 12 Sep 1945  Japanese occupation
12 Sep 1945 -  1 Apr 1946  the Governors of the Straits 
                           Settlements (see Singapore)
Residents-general of the Federated Malay States
 1 Jan 1896 - 12 Dec 1901  Frank Athelstane Swettenham        (b. 1850 - d. 1946)
                             (from 22 Jun 1897, Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham) 
 5 Oct 1897 - 16 Apr 1898  William Hood Treacher              (b. 1849 - d. 1919)
                             (acting for Swettenham)
29 Apr 1900 - 12 Dec 1901  William Hood Treacher              (s.a.)
                             (acting for Swettenham)
13 Dec 1901 - 31 Dec 1904  William Hood Treacher              (s.a.)
                             (from 24 Jun 1904, Sir William Hood Treacher)
13 Sep 1904 - 30 Sep 1910  William Thomas Taylor              (b. 1848 - d. 1931)
                             (from 30 Jun 1905, Sir William Thomas Taylor)
                             (acting [for Treacher] to 1 Jan 1905)
11 May 1907 - 13 Feb 1908  Edward Lewis Brockman              (b. 1865 - d. 1943)
                             (acting for Taylor)
 4 May 1908 – 27 Jul 1908  Henry Conway Belfield              (b. 1855 - d. 1923)
                             (acting for Taylor)
26 Feb 1910 - 31 Jan 1911  Reginald George Watson             (b. 1862 - d. 1926)
                             (acting [for Taylor to 30 Sep 1910])
Chief Secretaries to the Government of the Federated Malay States
 1 Feb 1911 -  1 Sep 1911  Arthur Henderson Young             (b. 1854 - d. 1938)
 2 Sep 1911 - 12 Sep 1920  Edward Lewis Brockman              (s.a.) 
                             (from 1 Jan 1913, Sir Edward Lewis Brockman)
 3 Apr 1914 -  8 Feb 1915  Reginald George Watson             (s.a.)
                             (acting for Brockman)
21 Jan 1918 -  5 Feb 1918  Edward George Broadrick            (b. 1864 - d. 1929)
                             (acting for Maxwell)
 7 Apr 1918 - 25 Aug 1918  Reginald George Watson             (s.a.)
                             (acting for Brockman)
13 Jun 1920 –  3 Oct 1920  Frederick Seton James              (b. 1870 - d. 1934)
                             (acting for Brockman)
13 Sep 1920 -  6 May 1926  William George Maxwell             (b. 1871 - d. 1959)
                             (from 3 Jun 1924, Sir William George Maxwell) 
 4 Oct 1920 -  4 Mar 1921  Arthur Blennerhassett Voules       (b. 1870 - d. 1954)
                             (acting for Maxwell)
21 Dec 1921 -  9 Jan 1922  Oswald Francis Gerard Stonor       (b. 1872 - d. 1940)
                             (acting for Maxwell)
11 May 1923 – 24 Oct 1923  Edward Shaw Hose                   (b. 1871 - d. 1946)
                             (acting for Maxwell)
 9 May 1926 -  9 Apr 1930  William Peel                       (b. 1875 - d. 1945)
                             (from 4 Jun 1928, Sir William Peel) 
 6 May 1927 -  5 Jun 1927  Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (1st time) (b. 1874 - d. 1941)
                             (acting for Peel)
10 Sep 1927 - 21 Mar 1928  Henry Wagstaffe Thomson (2nd time) (s.a.)
                             (acting for Peel)
30 Nov 1929 - 24 Mar 1932  Charles Walter Hamilton Cochrane   (b. 1876 - d. 1932)
                             (acting [for Peel] to 9 Apr 1929)
25 Jul 1931 -  3 Feb 1933  Andrew Caldecott                   (b. 1884 - d. 1951)
                             (acting Cochrane to 24 Mar 1932)
 4 Feb 1933 -  4 Apr 1935  Malcolm Bond Shelley               (b. 1879 - d. 1968)
 4 Apr 1935 - 24 Feb 1936  Marcus Rex                         (b. 1886 - d. 1971)
Federal Secretaries, Federated Malay States
24 Feb 1936 -  6 May 1939  Christopher Dominic Ahearne        (b. 1886 - d. 1964)
 6 May 1939 - Dec 1939     Hugh Fraser                        (b. 1890 - d. 1944)
Under Secretary, Federated Malay States
Dec 1939 - 15 Feb 1942     Hugh Fraser                        (s.a.)
                             (Japanese prisoner 15 Feb 1942 - 25 Jul 1944)
Japanese Military governors
 8 Dec 1941 - 12 Sep 1945  the Japanese Commanding Generals
                           in Singapore
Chiefs of the 25th Army Military Administration
15 Feb 1942 -  6 Apr 1942  Takanobu (Keishin) Manaki          (b. 1894 - d. 1974)
 6 Apr 1942 -  1 Jul 1942  Wataru Watanabe                    (b. 1896 - d. 1969)
 1 Jul 1942 -  7 Oct 1942  Sōsaku Suzuki                      (b. 1891 - d. 1945)
 7 Oct 1942 -  8 Apr 1943  Nishioeda Yutaka                   (b. 1893 - d. 1958)
Superintendent-Generals of the Malai Military Administration
 8 Apr 1943 -  2 Aug 1943  Gorō Isoya                         (b. 1896 - d. 1993)
 2 Aug 1943 -  1 Feb 1945  Masuzō Fujimura                    (b. 1895 - d. 1978)
 1 Feb 1945 - 12 Sep 1945  Naokazu Kawahara                   (b. 1896 - d. 1962)
Director of the British Military Administration
12 Sep 1945 - 31 Mar 1946  Lord Louis Francis Mountbatten     (b. 1900 - d. 1979)
Chief Civil Affairs Officer Malaya
12 Sep 1945 - 31 Mar 1946  Herbert Ralph Hone                 (b. 1896 - d. 1992)
Special Commissioner in South-East Asia (in Singapore)
16 Mar 1946 -  1 May 1948  Miles Wedderburn Lampson, Baron    (b. 1880 - d. 1964)
                             Killearn
Commissioner-Generals in South-East Asia (in Singapore)
 1 May 1948 -  2 Sep 1955  Malcolm John MacDonald             (b. 1901 - d. 1981)
11 Oct 1955 - Oct 1959     Robert Heatlie Scott               (b. 1905 - d. 1982)
                             (from 12 Jun 1958, Sir Robert Heatlie Scot)
Oct 1959 - Jan 1960        A.M. MacKintosh (acting)
Jan 1960 - 16 Sep 1963     George Nigel Douglas Hamilton,     (b. 1906 - d. 1994)
                             Earl of Selkirk
Governor-general of the Malayan Union and Singapore (and British High Commissioner for Brunei)
21 May 1946 -  1 May 1948  Malcolm John MacDonald             (s.a.)
Governor of the Malayan Union
 1 Apr 1946 -  1 Feb 1948  Sir Gerard Edward James Gent       (b. 1895 - d. 1948)
High Commissioners for the Federation of Malaya
 1 Feb 1948 -  4 Jul 1948  Sir Gerard Edward James Gent       (s.a.)
 1 Oct 1948 -  6 Oct 1951  Sir Henry Lovell Goldworthy Gurney (b. 1898 - d. 1951)
15 Jan 1952 - 31 May 1954  Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer   (b. 1898 - d. 1979)
31 May 1954 - 31 Aug 1957  Sir Donald Charles MacGillivray    (b. 1906 - d. 1966)
Paramount Rulers of Malaysia¹
31 Aug 1957 -  1 Apr 1960  Tuanku Abdul Rahman ibni           (b. 1895 - d. 1960)
                             al-Marhum Yamtuan Muhammad 
                             (Negeri Sembilan) 
 1 Apr 1960 -  1 Sep 1960  Tuanku Hisamuddin Alam Shah        (b. 1898 - d. 1960)
                             ibni al-Marhum Sultan Alaeddin
                             Sulaiman Shah (Selangor) 
                             (acting to 14 Apr 1960)
 1 Sep 1960 - 21 Sep 1965  Syed Harun Putra ibni al-Marhum    (b. 1920 - d. 2000)
                             Syed Hasan Jamalullail (Perlis)
                             (acting to 21 Sep 1960)
21 Sep 1965 - 21 Sep 1970  Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah      (b. 1907 - d. 1979)
                             ibni al-Marhum Sultan Zainal
                             Abidin Mu'adzam Shah (Terengganu)
21 Sep 1970 - 21 Sep 1975  Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah   (b. 1927 - d. 2017)
                             ibni al-Marhum Sultan Badlishah 
                             (1st time)(Kedah)
21 Sep 1975 - 29 Mar 1979  Tuanku Yahya Petra ibni al-Marhum  (b. 1917 - d. 1979)
                             Sultan Ibrahim (Kelantan) 
29 Mar 1979 - 26 Apr 1984  Tuanku Ahmad Shah al-Mustain
                             Billah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Abu (b. 1930 - d. 2019)
                             Bakar Ri'ayatuddin al-Mu'adzam Shah 
                             (acting to 26 Apr 1979)(Pahang)
26 Apr 1984 - 26 Apr 1989  Tuanku Mahmud Iskandar ibni        (b. 1932 - d. 2010)
                             al-Marhum Sultan Ismail (Johore) 
26 Apr 1989 - 26 Apr 1994  Tuanku Azlan Muhibuddin Shah ibni  (b. 1928 - d. 2014)
                             al-Marhum Sultan Yusuf Izzuddin
                             Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah (Perak) 
26 Apr 1994 - 26 Apr 1999  Tuanku Ja'afar ibni al-Marhum      (b. 1922 - d. 2008)
                             Yamtuan Abdul Rahman 
                             (Negeri Sembilan)
26 Apr 1999 - 21 Nov 2001  Tuanku Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah  (b. 1926 - d. 2001)
                             ibni al-Marhum Sultan Hisamuddin 
                             Alam Shah (Selangor) 
21 Nov 2001 - 13 Dec 2001  Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni    (b. 1962)
                             al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud (1st time)
                             (acting [for Salahuddin from 8 Oct 2001])
                             (Terengganu) 
13 Dec 2001 - 13 Dec 2006  Syed Sirajuddin ibni al-Marhum     (b. 1943)
                             Syed Putra Jamalullail (Perlis) 
13 Dec 2006 - 13 Dec 2011  Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni    (s.a.)
                             al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud (2nd time)
                             (Terengganu) 
13 Dec 2011 - 13 Dec 2016  Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah   (s.a.)
                             ibni al-Marhum Sultan Badlishah 
                             (2nd time)(Kedah)
13 Dec 2016 -  6 Jan 2019  Tuanku Muhammad V Faris ibni Sultan(b. 1969)
                             Ismail Petra (Kelantan)
 2 Nov 2018 - 31 Dec 2018  Tuanku Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni (b. 1956)
                             Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin
                             Shah al-Maghfur-Lah (Perak)
                             (acting for Tuanku Muhammad V)
 6 Jan 2019 - 31 Jan 2019  Tuanku Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni (s.a.)
                             Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin
                             Shah al-Maghfur-Lah (Perak)(acting)
31 Jan 2019 - 31 Jan 2024  Tuanku Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin       (b. 1959)
                             al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni (from
                             22 May 2019, al-Marhum) Sultan
                             Ahmad Shah al-Musta'in Billah
                             (Pahang)
31 Jan 2024 -              Tuanku Ibrahim Ismail ibni         (b. 1958)
                             al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar (Johor)      

Chief minister
 4 Aug 1955 - 28 Aug 1957  Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj     (b. 1903 - d. 1990)  UMNO+PP
Prime ministers
28 Aug 1957 - 15 Apr 1959  Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj     (s.a.)               UMNO+PP
                             (1st time) 
15 Apr 1959 - 21 Aug 1959  Dato' Abdul Razak bin Hussein      (b. 1922 - d. 1976)  UMNO+PP
                             (1st time) 
21 Aug 1959 - 22 Sep 1970  Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj     (s.a.)               UMNO+PP
                             (2nd time) 
22 Sep 1970 - 14 Jan 1976  Tun Abdul Razak bin Hussein        (s.a.)             UMNO+1973 BN
                             (2nd time) 
15 Jan 1976 - 16 Jul 1981  Datuk Hussein bin Onn              (b. 1922 - d. 1990)  UMNO+BN 
16 Jul 1981 - 31 Oct 2003  Dato' Seri Mahathir bin Mohamad    (b. 1925)            UMNO+BN
                             (1st time) 
31 Oct 2003 -  3 Apr 2009  Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi   (b. 1939)            UMNO+BN
 3 Apr 2009 - 10 May 2018  Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak         (b. 1953)            UMNO+BN
10 May 2018 -  1 Mar 2020  Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad           (s.a.)               PPBM+PH
                             (2nd time)
 1 Mar 2020 - 21 Aug 2021  Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Haji         (b. 1947)            PPBM+PN
                             Mohamad Yassin 
21 Aug 2021 - 24 Nov 2022  Dato' Seri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob (b. 1960)            UMNO+PN 
24 Nov 2022 -              Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim       (b. 1947)            PKR + PH

 ¹style of the Paramount Rulers:
(a) 31 Aug 1957 - 16 Sep 1963: Ketua Utama Negara bagi Persekutuan ("Supreme Head of the Federation") and Yang di-Pertuan Agong ("Paramount Ruler");
(b) From 16 Sep 1963: Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu ("Paramount Ruler, Federation of Malaya");
(c) style used in royal proclamations from 16 Sep 1963: Yang di-Pertuan Agong ("Paramount Ruler") which is normally extended to Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Dengan kurnia Allah bagi negeri-negeri dan wilayah-wilayah Malaysia ("By the grace of God, Paramount Ruler of the States and Territories of Malaysia").

Territorial Disputes: While the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties, which is currently being negotiated between China and ASEAN; Malaysia was not party to the Mar 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but did not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge; land and maritime negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei in exchange for Brunei's sultan dropping claims to the Limbang corridor, which divides Brunei; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait.

Party abbreviations: BN = Barisan Nasional (National Front, conservative, Islamic democratic, electoral bloc, led by UMNO, est.1 Jan 1973); PH = Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope, est.22 Sep 2015); PKR = Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People's Justice Party, center-left, reformist, anti-corruption, multiracial, est.4 Apr 1999); PN = Perikatan Nasional (National Alliance, social conservative, Islamic democratic, electoral alliance of PPBM, BN, PAS, GBS and PBS, est.23 Feb 2020); PPBM = Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia "BBERSATU" (Malaysian United Indigenous Party, "Bersatu", centrist, Malay nationalist, social conservative, Islamic democratic, anti-corruption, est.8 Sep 2016); UMNO = Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu (United Malays National Organization, mainly ethnic Malay, nationalist, Ketuanan Melayu, social conservative, est.11 May 1946);
- Former parties: PP = Parti Perikatan (Alliance Party, national conservative, coalition led by UMNO, 1952-1 Jul 1973, succeeded by BN)