The document outlines the structure of Malaysia's national administration, which consists of 3 divisions: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. The legislature is Parliament, made up of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Dewan Negara (Senate), and Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives). The executive is the Cabinet led by the Prime Minister. The judiciary is responsible for justice and includes the Federal Court, High Courts, Session Courts, and Magistrate Courts.

1. STRUCTURE OF NATIONAL
ADMINISTRATION

2. • In the modern system of government, three essential
divisions play respective roles in the smooth running
of a country.
Government
Legislature
Executive
Judiciary
Portrait of Montesquieu in
1728

3. THE LEGISLATURE
• This division is the Parliament which makes the law.
• The constitution states that Parliament consists of 3
components:
i) Yang di-Pertuan Agong
ii) Dewan Negara (House of Senate)
iii) Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
The Parliament Structure
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Dewan Negara
Dewan Rakyat

4. • The role of Parliament:
i. To legislate, amend and annual bill of
law
ii. To enact laws concerning defense,
safety, finance, education, welfare etc
iii.To introduce new taxes
iv. To approve the national budget for a
certain year

5. Yang di-Pertuan Agong
• Is the head of:
i) Legislative
ii) Executive
iii) Judiciary
• Empower to put into law, bills that have been
passed by Dewan Rakyat dan Dewan Negara.

6. Dewan Negara
• Headed by the Yang Dipertua (the President).
• Must be a member of the Senate.
• Assisted by a Deputy Yang Dipertua and a
Dewan Secretary.
• Members are known as Senators.
• Senators are appointed, not elected.
• Consists of 70 members.
YB Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr.
Abdul Hamid Pawanteh

7. • Membership is made up of two categories:a) 26 members appointed by the State
Legislative Assembly to represent 13 states
(each state represented by 2 members)
b) 44 members appointed by His Majesty the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the
Prime Minister
• To be eligible as a member, you must:
i) be a Malaysian citizen;
ii) be not less than 30 years old;
iii) not be declared as a bankrupt; and
iv) not have a criminal record

8. • The tenure of office is a three-year term for a
maximum of 2 terms.
• The life of the Senate is not affected by the dissolution
of Parliament.
• Senators are drawn from the ranks of distinguished
individuals.
• The role of Dewan Negara:
i) to discuss and pass bills that have been passed by
the Dewan Rakyat;
ii) does not possess the power to reject the bills
presented to it;
iii) only empowers to delay passing a bill for a period
of one month if it does not agree with them.

9. Dewan Rakyat
• Headed by the Speaker.
• “Speaker” can be a member or non-member of the
Parliament but who is qualified for election into the
House.
• The Speaker is assisted by 2 Deputy Speakers
(parliamentary members).
• The Secretary will be appointed by the YDPA.
• Members are politicians who have won the
parliamentary seats.
• Parties with the most votes can form a government to
rule the country.
• 219 members representing 219 constituencies.

10. • Serve for five years (subject to Parliament
dissolution).
• To be eligible as a member, you must:
i) be a Malaysian citizen;
ii) be not less than 21 years old;
iii) be of sound mind;
iv) not be declared as a bankrupt; and not have a
criminal record.
• Speaker’s duties:
i) to chair the Dewan Rakyat;
ii) to ensure the rules and regulations are adhered by
the members;
iii) to punish the non-cimpliance members;
iv) to inform Election Commission should there be a
vacancy in Dewan Rakyat.

11. • Discretionary power of the Speaker:
i) to allow or reject questions from members;
ii) to determine whether the questions should be
answered by Minister;
iii) to postpone an assembly;
iv) to ask member to leave or stop member from
attending the assembly.
• The role of Dewan Rakyat:
- to enact and discuss matters related with the
interest of the people and the country.
YB Datuk Pandikar Amin Mulia

12. THE EXECUTIVE (GOVERNING
BODY)
• Constitutes the Cabinet, led by Prime
Minister.
• Cabinets comprises the Ministers
elected.
• Each minister leads a ministry unit.

13. THE JUDICIARY
• Responsible for the process of justice.
• Has wider power:
- can interpret the Constitution and the law,
in the event of vagueness or dispute
• Judges are appointed by the YDPA on the
advice of the Prime Minister.

14. The High Court
• The highest court is the Federal Court.
• Has the power to decide on appeals about
decision of the Appeals Court, High Court or a
Judge.
• Divided into High Court of Malaya and the
High Court of Sabah and Sarawak.
• Empower to hear cases which carry death
penalty and civil case

15. The Lower Courts
• Consist of Session Courts and Magistrate Courts
• Session courts are the highest courts of the lower
courts
• Under the jurisdiction of a Session Court Judge
• Hear all kinds of civil and criminal cases, except
those carry death penalty
• Magistrate Courts presided by magistrates (of
Class One or Class Two)
• Empower to hear all minor criminal cases, not
exceeding ten years of jail

16. Special Lower Courts
• COURT FOR CHILDREN
- to hear cases, except murder of young persons (-18)
- decisions can be appealed in the High Court
• INDUSTRIAL COURT
- has power to hear cases involving disputes between
employer and employee
- appeal can be made to the High Court
• MILITARY COURTS
- to hear cases involving members of the armed
forces.

17. • THE SYARIAH COURTS
- Hearing cases concerning the administration of
Islamic Law.
- THREE types of syariah court:
• Syariah Lower Court
• Syariah High Court
• Syariah Appeal Court
•
-
SMALL CLAIM COURT
Introduced in 1989.
Hear civil cases of claim not exceeded RM3000.
Defense attorney is not needed.