immigration controls); Sabah -
holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense,
internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government;
Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign
affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to
federal government

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions: 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* note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located
within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore
are not interchangeable; there is a new federal territory named Putrajaya,
but this change has not yet been approved by the US Board on Geographic
Names (BGN)

Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution: 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal system: 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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN
ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since
12 December 2001); replaced Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul
Aziz Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hissammuddin Alam Shah who died in office
21 November 2001 head of government: Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad
(since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi
(since 8 January 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount
ruler election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler following the death of TUNKU
SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah
elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of
nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12 December
2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated from among the
members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections,
the leader of the party that w