Next Malaysian general election
Encyclopedia
The 13th Malaysian general election must be held in 2013 or before 2013. The constitutional
parliamentary term in Malaysia is five years, after which the parliament must be dissolved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
on the advice of the Prime Minister
as pertained in the Malaysian laws for national elections
. Malaysia uses the first-past-the-post
system. The election will be conducted by the Election Commission of Malaysia. Other state assemblies are usually dissolved at the same time as the Federal Parliament while the Sarawak state assembly is not dissolved at the same time.
(BN) coalition was returned in the 2008 general elections
with 140 seats, giving it its worst result since the 1969 elections
. The opposition Pakatan Rakyat
coalition won 82 seats, thereby denying the BN its two-thirds majority which is required to pass amendments to the Federal Constitution. Pakatan Rakyat also gained five of the 13 state assemblies (has since lost one state assembly-Perak to BN due to defection) and 10 of the 11 parliamentary seats in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
. That was the first major setback of the BN since the 1969 general elections
.
announced on October 8, 2008, he was stepping down as well, resigning his post as United Malays National Organisation
(UMNO) party leader. A leadership election was held on March 26, 2009, where then Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister-designate Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
was elected unopposed as the UMNO party leader. On April 2, 2009, Prime Minister Abdullah tendered his resignation to Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin which was consented. On April 3, 2009, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was sworn-in as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia
at the Istana Negara
, Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia in front of Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
and the Leader of the Opposition Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
, also the head of Pakatan Rakyat
was returned to parliament after a ten-year absence following his victory in the Permatang Pauh by-election
. His wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
resigned from her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in order for Anwar to contest and hence return to parliament. Anwar, the former Deputy Prime Minister was sacked by then Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the advice of then Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
in 1998 after which was sent to jail for corruption and sodomy. Anwar is pushing for a no-confidence motion as his coalition currently has 76 seats. Anwar needs 36 government lawmakers' votes to defect in order to form a federal government.
Constitution of Malaysia
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the Federation...
parliamentary term in Malaysia is five years, after which the parliament must be dissolved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
on the advice of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
as pertained in the Malaysian laws for national elections
Elections in Malaysia
Elections in Malaysia exist at two levels: national level and state level. National level elections are those for membership in the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Parliament, while state level elections are for membership in the various State Legislative Assemblies...
. Malaysia uses the first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
system. The election will be conducted by the Election Commission of Malaysia. Other state assemblies are usually dissolved at the same time as the Federal Parliament while the Sarawak state assembly is not dissolved at the same time.
Background
The ruling Barisan NasionalBarisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
(BN) coalition was returned in the 2008 general elections
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
with 140 seats, giving it its worst result since the 1969 elections
Malaysian general election, 1969
General elections were held in Malaysia on 10 May 1969, although voting was postponed until between 21 and 27 June in Sabah and Sarawak. It resulted in the return to power, with a reduced majority, of the ruling Alliance Party, comprising the United Malays National Organization , the Malayan...
. The opposition Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
coalition won 82 seats, thereby denying the BN its two-thirds majority which is required to pass amendments to the Federal Constitution. Pakatan Rakyat also gained five of the 13 state assemblies (has since lost one state assembly-Perak to BN due to defection) and 10 of the 11 parliamentary seats in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. That was the first major setback of the BN since the 1969 general elections
Malaysian general election, 1969
General elections were held in Malaysia on 10 May 1969, although voting was postponed until between 21 and 27 June in Sabah and Sarawak. It resulted in the return to power, with a reduced majority, of the ruling Alliance Party, comprising the United Malays National Organization , the Malayan...
.
Barisan Nasional
Following their losses, then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad BadawiAbdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
announced on October 8, 2008, he was stepping down as well, resigning his post as United Malays National Organisation
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....
(UMNO) party leader. A leadership election was held on March 26, 2009, where then Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister-designate Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...
was elected unopposed as the UMNO party leader. On April 2, 2009, Prime Minister Abdullah tendered his resignation to Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin which was consented. On April 3, 2009, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was sworn-in as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
at the Istana Negara
Istana Negara
Istana Negara is the official residence of His Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. It stands on a 13 acre site, located at a commanding position on the slope of a hill of Bukit Petaling overlooking the Klang River, along Jalan Syed Putra.Another royal residence of the Yang di-Pertuan...
, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia in front of Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
Pakatan Rakyat
Former Deputy Prime Minister of MalaysiaDeputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia is the second highest political office in Malaysia. There has been ten deputy prime ministers since the office was created in 1957. Although there has always been a Deputy Prime Minister since independence, there is nothing preventing a Prime Minister from not...
and the Leader of the Opposition Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
, also the head of Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
was returned to parliament after a ten-year absence following his victory in the Permatang Pauh by-election
Permatang Pauh by-election, 2008
A by-election was held for the Dewan Rakyat parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh on August 26, 2008 with nomination day on August 16, 2008. The seat of Permatang Pauh in the Dewan Rakyat, fell vacant after the resignation of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on 31 July 2008...
. His wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is a Malaysian politician. She is currently the president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and she was the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh from 1999 to 2008. She was also the Leader of Opposition in Dewan Rakyat from March 2008 until 31 July 2008...
resigned from her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in order for Anwar to contest and hence return to parliament. Anwar, the former Deputy Prime Minister was sacked by then Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the advice of then Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
Mahathir bin Mohamad
Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad . is a Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister. His political career spanned almost 40 years.Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir...
in 1998 after which was sent to jail for corruption and sodomy. Anwar is pushing for a no-confidence motion as his coalition currently has 76 seats. Anwar needs 36 government lawmakers' votes to defect in order to form a federal government.