Kerajaan Tanah Melayu · Public domain
Every seat.Every coalition.Every vote.
Malaysian federal politics, 1955 to today, explained for young voters.
Who forms the government
Who forms the government
1 · your ballot
You vote for one person, in one place
You mark one name: the MP for your constituency. There are 222, each a separate contest.
2 · the chamber
Those 222 winners are the Dewan Rakyat
The King appoints as Prime Minister the MP he judges likely to have a majority's confidence.
Who held the seats,1955 to today
No party wins 112 seats alone, so parties join coalitions. Each stream is one coalition.
The Coalition River · 1955 → today
27 July 1955
1955 Federal Legislative Council election
First nationwide federal election before Merdeka; Alliance won 51 of 52 seats.
24 August 1974
GE4
First election contested by the new Barisan Nasional under Abdul Razak.
21 October 1990
GE8
First serious two-front challenge: Semangat 46 with Gagasan Rakyat and APU.
29 November 1999
GE10
Post-Reformasi election in which Barisan Alternatif contested and PAS increased its parliamentary representation.
8 March 2008
GE12
The 'political tsunami': BN lost two-thirds majority and five states; birth of Pakatan Rakyat.
9 May 2018
GE14
Malaysia's first federal change of government; Pakatan Harapan defeated BN.
23 February 2020
Sheraton Move
A rapid realignment that ended the PH government and reshaped federal coalitions; Muhyiddin sworn in.
19 November 2022
GE15
First hung parliament; resolved by the unity government under Anwar Ibrahim.
Eight milestones
On 31 August 1957 the Federation of Malaya became an independent country.
Malaysia was created on 16 September 1963 when the Federation of Malaya joined with Singapore, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, and the terms of that founding bargain are still argued over in Parliament today.
How Anwar Ibrahim’s removal from government in 1998 turned calls for reform into a national opposition movement.
The 'political tsunami': BN lost two-thirds majority and five states; birth of Pakatan Rakyat.
A rapid realignment that ended the PH government and reshaped federal coalitions; Muhyiddin sworn in.
First hung parliament; resolved by the unity government under Anwar Ibrahim.