The prime minister of Malaysia (; ) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the federal government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister who is a member of Parliament (MP) who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs. The prime minister is usually the leader of the party winning the most seats in a general election.
After the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, Tunku Abdul Rahman, whom was the chief minister of the Federation of Malaya at the time, became the first prime minister of Malaysia.
The current prime minister is Anwar Ibrahim, who was elected in the 2022 Malaysian general election.
Appointment
According to the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall first appoint a prime minister to preside over the Cabinet. The prime minister is to be a member of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives), and must have the confidence of the majority of the members of that House. This person must be a Malaysian citizen, but cannot have obtained their citizenship by means of naturalisation or registration. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall appoint other ministers from either the Dewan Rakyat or Dewan Negara (Senate) with the prime minister's advice.
The prime minister and their cabinet ministers must take and subscribe to the oath of office and allegiance as well as the oath of secrecy in the presence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong before they can exercise functions of office. The Cabinet is collectively accountable to the Parliament of Malaysia. The members of the Cabinet shall not hold any office of profit and engage in any trade, business or profession that will cause a conflict of interest. The Prime Minister's Department (sometimes referred to as the Prime Minister's Office) is the body and ministry in which the prime minister exercises their functions and powers.
In the case where a government cannot get its appropriation (budget) legislation passed by the House of Representatives, or when the House passes a no confidence vote in the government, the prime minister is bound by convention to resign immediately. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's choice of replacement prime minister will be dictated by the circumstances. All other ministers shall continue to hold office by the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, unless if the appointment of any minister is revoked by their majesty upon the advice of the prime minister. Any minister may resign their office.
Following a resignation in other circumstances, defeat in an election, or the death of a prime minister, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would generally appoint as the new leader of the governing party or coalition as new prime minister.
Malaysia uses a first-past-the-post-voting system, which means a party or coalition will lead a government if they manage to gain 112 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.
Powers
The power of the prime minister is subject to a number of limitations. Prime ministers removed as leader of their party, or whose government loses a vote of no confidence in the House of Representatives, must advise a new election of the lower house or resign the office. The defeat of a supply bill (one that concerns the spending of money) or unable to pass important policy-related legislation is seen to require the resignation of the government or dissolution of Parliament, much like a non-confidence vote, since a government that cannot spend money is hamstrung, also called loss of supply.
The prime minister's party will normally have a majority in the House of Representatives and party discipline is exceptionally strong in Malaysian politics, so passage of the government's legislation through the House of Representatives is mostly a formality.
Under the Constitution, the prime minister's role includes advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on:
the appointment of the federal ministers (full members of cabinet) the appointment of the federal deputy ministers, parliamentary secretaries (non-full members of cabinet) the appointment of 44 out of 70 senators in the Dewan Negara the summoning and adjournment of sittings of the Dewan Rakyat the appointment of judges of the superior courts (which are the High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Federal Court) the appointment of the attorney-general and the auditor-general the appointment of the chairmen and members of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, Election Commission, Police Force Commission, Education Service Commission, National Finance Council, and Armed Forces Council
Under Article 39 of the Constitution, executive authority is vested in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. However, Article 40(1) states that in most cases, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is bound to exercise his powers on the advice of the Cabinet or a minister acting under the Cabinet's general authority. Thus, in practice, actual governing authority is vested in the prime minister and Cabinet.
Acting prime minister From time to time, prime ministers are required to leave the country on business and a deputy is appointed to take their place during that time. In the days before jet aeroplanes, such absences could be for extended periods. However, the position can be fully decided by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the King of Malaysia when the position remains empty following the sudden resignation or death of the prime minister.
Caretaker prime minister Under Article 55(3) of Constitution of Malaysia, the lower house of Parliament, unless sooner dissolved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with his own discretion on the advice of the prime minister, shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. Article 55(4) of the Constitution permits a delay of 60 days in the holding of the general election from the date of dissolution and Parliament shall be summoned to meet on a date not later than 120 days from the date of dissolution. Conventionally, between the dissolution of one Parliament and the convening of the next, the prime minister and the cabinet remain in office in a caretaker capacity.
List of prime ministers of Malaysia Colour key (for political coalitions/parties):
(2) (6) (2) (1) #PortraitPrime MinisterTerm of officeMandatePartyGovernmentMonarchTook officeLeft officeTime in office 1Tunku Abdul Rahman195719701955Alliance (UMNO)Rahman ITuanku Abdul Rahman
Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah
Tuanku Syed Putra
Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah
Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah1959Rahman II1964Rahman III1969Rahman IV 2 Abdul Razak Hussein19701976 Alliance (UMNO)Razak ISultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah
Sultan Yahya Petra1974BN (UMNO)Razak II 3 Hussein Onn19761981 BN (UMNO)Hussein ISultan Yahya Petra
Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah1978Hussein II 4 Mahathir Mohamad19812003 —BN (UMNO)Mahathir ISultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah
Sultan Iskandar
Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah
Tuanku Ja'afar
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin1982Mahathir II1986Mahathir III1990Mahathir IV1995Mahathir V1999Mahathir VI 520032009 —BN (UMNO)Abdullah ITuanku Syed Sirajuddin
Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin2004Abdullah II2008Abdullah III 6Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak20092018 —BN (UMNO)Najib ISultan Mizan Zainal Abidin
Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah
Sultan Muhammad V2013Najib II7 Mahathir Mohamad201820202018PH (BERSATU)Mahathir VIISultan Muhammad V
Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah ShahAl-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah8Muhyiddin Yassin20202021—PN (BERSATU)Muhyiddin9Ismail Sabri Yaakob20212022—BN (UMNO)Ismail Sabri10Anwar Ibrahim2022Incumbent(2022)PH (PKR)Anwar Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah
Sultan Ibrahim
Timeline
Notes
List of acting, interim and caretaker prime ministers of Malaysia
Colour key (for political parties):
PortraitName (birth–death)Term of officeNotesPolitical party Abdul Razak Hussein19 August 195919 November 1959Abdul Razak Hussein was the acting prime minister after the first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, stepped down as prime minister for three months in 1959 to strengthen his party, the Alliance Party for the 1959 federal elections.Alliance Party (UMNO) Ismail Abdul Rahman22 September 197022 September 1970Ismail Abdul Rahman occasionally acted as acting prime minister when Tunku Abdul Rahman and Abdul Razak Hussein were abroad.V. T. Sambanthan3 August 197313 August 1973V. T. Sambanthan was called to serve as acting prime minister and chair the cabinet meeting for a day when the former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein was overseas and his deputy Ismail Abdul Rahman had died.Alliance Party (MIC)Ling Liong Sik4 February 198816 February 1988Became the new chairman of the Barisan Nasional coalition, alongside as the acting prime minister for a few days.Barisan Nasional (MCA)Anwar Ibrahim19 May 1997 19 July 1997Served as the acting prime minister whilst Mahathir Mohamad was on vacation.Barisan Nasional (UMNO)Mahathir Mohamad 24 February 20201 March 2020Appointed by the then-King of Malaysia Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to serve as interim following his resignation as prime minister during the collapse of his government, pending the formation of a new government. Prior to his appointment, there were no mentions of an interim prime minister in the Constitution of Malaysia.Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) Muhyiddin Yassin 16 August 2021 21 August 2021 Appointed by the then-King of Malaysia Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to serve as caretaker following his resignation as prime minister during the collapse of his government, pending the formation of a new government.Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) Ismail Sabri Yaakob 10 October 2022 24 November 2022 Appointed by the then-King of Malaysia Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to serve as caretaker following his coalition's defeat in the 2022 Malaysian general election, pending the formation of a new government.Barisan Nasional (UMNO)
List of prime ministers by time in office This is a list of prime minister of Malaysia by time in office. The listed number of days is calculated as the difference between dates, which counts the number of calendar days except the last day. The length of a full prime ministerial term of office usually varies according to when the two former and latter general elections are held. If the last day is included, all numbers would be one day more, except Mahathir Mohamad would have two more days, as he served two non-consecutive terms.
Of the individuals appointed prime minister of Malaysia, one died in office (Abdul Razak Hussein), five resigned from office (Tunku Abdul Rahman, Hussein Onn, Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Muhyiddin Yassin) and two lost reelection (Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak and Ismail Sabri Yaakob).
Ismail Sabri Yaakob is spending the shortest time in office, while Mahathir spent the longest. Mahathir is the only Malaysian prime minister to have served more than three full terms.
Mahathir is the only prime minister to leave office and return for a second non-consecutive term. Consequently, while there have been 10 prime ministerships in the nation's history, only 9 people have been sworn into office as Mahathir is numbered as both the 4th and 7th prime minister.