Malay Peninsula: An Overview
1. Constitutional history
2. 1957 Constitution
1. Executive branch
2. Legislative branch
3. Judicial Branch
3. Constitutional Challenges
4. System of government under 1957 Constitution
5. Timeline
6. Bibliography
The federation of Malaysia is comprised of 13 states and 3 federal territories on the Malay Peninsula and on the northern part of the island of Borneo. The country is bordered by Thailand and the South China Sea on the north, and the straits of Malacca and Singapore on the south. It covers nearly 330,000 square kilometres and is home to approximately 28.7 million people. Its capital of Kuala Lumpur contains almost 1.5 million people. The majority of the population is ethnic Malay, though a powerful Chinese minority also inhabits the territory. Islam is the largest religion, but Christianity, Hindu, Buddhism, and some traditional Chinese religions are also practiced.
Constitutional history
Throughout its history, the Malay Peninsula has been occupied by many countries with different religions, cultures and constitutional traditions. These include Portugal (1511-1641), Holland (1641-1826), Britain (1824-1948) and later Japan, (1941-1945).These occupations in turn also impacted its political and constitutional development over the years. However, its first true constitutional charter was not written until 1957 when the British - who had regained the territory in 1948 following Japanese expulsion at the end of World War II - agreed with the Malay States to create the Federation of Malaya. An independent Multinational Commission, set up during the London Constitutional Conference of 1956, drafted the document, which took effect on 31 August 1957. Except for a brief period in 1969 when race riots resulted in its suspension, this constitution- though amended several times – remains the fundamental framework of the country to date.
1957 Constitution
Malaysia is officially a constitutional monarchy, with power divided between the Monarch, the
2. 1957 Constitution
1. Executive branch
2. Legislative branch
3. Judicial Branch
3. Constitutional Challenges
4. System of government under 1957 Constitution
5. Timeline
6. Bibliography
The federation of Malaysia is comprised of 13 states and 3 federal territories on the Malay Peninsula and on the northern part of the island of Borneo. The country is bordered by Thailand and the South China Sea on the north, and the straits of Malacca and Singapore on the south. It covers nearly 330,000 square kilometres and is home to approximately 28.7 million people. Its capital of Kuala Lumpur contains almost 1.5 million people. The majority of the population is ethnic Malay, though a powerful Chinese minority also inhabits the territory. Islam is the largest religion, but Christianity, Hindu, Buddhism, and some traditional Chinese religions are also practiced.
Constitutional history
Throughout its history, the Malay Peninsula has been occupied by many countries with different religions, cultures and constitutional traditions. These include Portugal (1511-1641), Holland (1641-1826), Britain (1824-1948) and later Japan, (1941-1945).These occupations in turn also impacted its political and constitutional development over the years. However, its first true constitutional charter was not written until 1957 when the British - who had regained the territory in 1948 following Japanese expulsion at the end of World War II - agreed with the Malay States to create the Federation of Malaya. An independent Multinational Commission, set up during the London Constitutional Conference of 1956, drafted the document, which took effect on 31 August 1957. Except for a brief period in 1969 when race riots resulted in its suspension, this constitution- though amended several times – remains the fundamental framework of the country to date.
1957 Constitution
Malaysia is officially a constitutional monarchy, with power divided between the Monarch, the
Bibliography: Posted on February 18, 2013 The deportation of Australian Senator Nick Xenophon from Malaysia shows the continuing refusal of the long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition government to embrace political reform.