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Malaysia
Women in decision-making positions
No data on number of women in elected local deliberative bodies
No woman is Head of State or Government
14%
Parliamentarians are women
11%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Spheres of government

Malaysia is a federal monarchy with three spheres of government: federal, intermediate (state), and local.

One tier of central government, one tier of intermediate government and one tier of local government.

  • Head of State: The Supreme Head of the Federation (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is elected by the Conference of Rulers.
  • Head of Government: The Prime Minister (Perdana Menteri) is a member of the House of Representatives who is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the House of Representatives, as appointed by the Supreme Head of the Federation.
  • Legislative body: Parliament is a bicameral legislature, with an upper house (the Senate), and a lower house (the House of Representatives). In the Senate, 26 members are elected by the state legislative assemblies and 44 members are appointed by the Supreme Head of the Federation. In the House of Representatives, members are directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The Cabinet of Ministers is composed of the Prime Minister and ministers appointed by the Supreme Head of the Federation, from amongst the members of either House of Parliament, on the advice of the Prime Minister.

  • Legislative body: The state legislative assembly is a unicameral legislature whose members are directly elected by voters of the state.
  • Executive body: The state executive, led by the chief minister, is composed of members selected from the state legislative assembly.

  • Organization: Local government is organized into one tier of 149 locality-level local government units (comprising 13 cities, 38 municipalities, and 98 districts).
  • Competencies: Local government is responsible for making by-laws relating to public health, markets, public places, food, and sanitation, directing and controlling the local authority fund, and collecting revenue (taxes, rates, rents, license fees, dues, and other sums or payable charges).
  • Ministerial oversight: Ministry of Housing and Local Government

Overview of local government

Local government composition

Deliberative body: The local authority council is composed of 8-24 councilors and a mayor/president. The mayor/president presides over the local authority council; the mayor/president is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: There is no executive body at the locality level of government.

Local government elections

There are no elections for local authorities. Local authority council members are appointed by the respective state authority from amongst local residents who have wide experience in local government affairs or who have achieved distinction in any profession, commerce, or industry, or are otherwise capable of representing the interests of their communities in the local authority area.

N/A

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National legal framework on local government

  • Constitution of Malaysia, 1963 (amended through 2022);
  • Local Authorities Ordinance of the State of Sarawak, 1996 (amended through 2022);
  • Local Government Act, 1976 (amended through 2012);
  • Local Government Ordinance of the State of Sabha, 1961 (amended through 1996).

There are no constitutional provisions that establish local government in Malaysia.

The state legislative assemblies are responsible for establishing the legal framework on local government. The key pieces of legislation which regulate local government is the Local Government Act of 1976 (amended through 2012) and the local government ordinances of the states.

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2025.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 1 December 2025.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2025.

4. UN Women: Data on share of women Cabinet ministers as of 1 January 2025.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.