<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular Malaysian states—hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are appointed by Malaysian Pulau Pinang Government; powers of state governments are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah—self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak—self-governing state, holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government
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<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Kuala Lumpur
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular—negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular—wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 31 August 1957 (from UK)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> National Day, 31 August (1957)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 21 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1994); Deputy Paramount Ruler SALAHUDDIN ibni Hisammuddin Alam Shah (since 26 April 1994)
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister ANWAR bin Ibrahim (since 1 December 1993)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Cabinet; appointed by the Paramount Ruler from members of parliament
<item><hi format=bold>Senate (Dewan Negara):</hi> consists of a 58-member body, 32 appointed by the paramount ruler and 16 elected by the state legislatures
<item><hi format=bold>House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat):</hi> elections last held 21 October 1990 (next to be held by August 1995); results—National Front 52%, other 48%; seats—(180 total) National Front 127, DAP 20, PAS 7, independents 4, other 22; note—within the National Front, UMNO got 71 seats and MCA 18 seats
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>Peninsular Malaysia:</hi> National Front, a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by United Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru), MAHATHIR bin Mohamad; Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), LING Liong Sik; Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, LIM Keng Yaik; Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), S. Samy VELLU
<item>• <hi format=ital>Sabah:</hi> National Front, Tan Sri SAKARAN, Sabah Chief Minister; United Sabah National Organizaton (USNO), leader NA
<item>• <hi format=ital>Sarawak:</hi> coalition Sarawak National Front composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Patinggi Amar Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud; Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Datuk Amar James WONG Soon Kai; Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Datuk Amar James WONG; Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk Leo MOGGIE; major opposition parties are Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM Kit Siang and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), Fadzil NOOR
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> fourteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US