ABSTRACT
Politics and government Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy largely infl uenced by the British system. The bicameral parliament consists of a House of Representatives and the Senate. One of the unique features of the political system in Malaysia is that the sovereign (Paramount Ruler or Yang di-Pertuan Agong in Malay) is elected every fi ve years by and from the nine hereditary rulers of the nine states of the Malay Peninsula. This division of powers amongst the different organs of government provides a system of checks and balances.
