ins a plurality of seats in the House of
Representatives becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the
Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26
appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or
Dewan Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward
the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms) election results:
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NF 56%, other 44%;
seats by party - NF 148, PAS 27, DAP 10, NJP 5, PBS 3 elections: House
of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999 (next must be held by
20 December 2004)

Judicial branch: Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler
on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders: Alternative Coalition or Barisan
Alternatif-BA (includes the following parties: Party Islam Se-Malaysia
or PAS [FADZIL Mohamad Noor], National Justice Party or NJP [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismail], and Malaysian People's Party or PRM [SYED HUSIN]); National
Front or NF (ruling coalition dominated by the United Malays National
Organization or UMNO [MAHATHIR bin Mohamad], includes the following
parties: Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC [S. Samy VELLU], Malaysian
Chinese Association or MCA [LING Liong Sik], Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia or
Gerakan [LIM Keng Yaik], Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi
Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud], Parti Angkatan Keadilan Rakyat Bersatu or Akar
[PANDIKAR Amin Mulia], Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE],
Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan], Sabah United People's
Party or SUPP [Jeffrey KITINGAN], Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [CHONG
Kah Kiat], Sabah Progressive Party or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee], People's
Progressive Party or PPP [M. KAYVEAS], Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or
PBRS [Joseph KURUP], Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Amar James WONG],
Parti Demokratik Sabah or PDS [leader NA], and United Pasok Momogun
Kadazan Organization or UPKO (state level only) [Bernard DOMPOK]);
Parti Bersekutu [HARRIS Salleh]; State Reform Party of Sarawak or STAR
[PATAU Rubis]; Democratic Action Party or DAP [LIM Kit Siang]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MONU