Prime Minister of Malaysia

Prime Minister of Malaysia
Perdana Menteri
Incumbent
Najib Razak
since 3 April 2009
Government of Malaysia
Prime Minister's Department
Style Yang Amat Berhormat (The Most Honourable)
Member of House of Representatives, Cabinet, National Finance Council
Reports to Parliament
Residence Seri Perdana
Seat Central Main Block of Perdana Putra, Putrajaya
Appointer Abdul Halim
as Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
Term length While commanding the confidence of the lower house of Parliament
Constituting instrument Federal Constitution of Malaysia
Inaugural holder Tunku Abdul Rahman
Formation 31 August 1957
Deputy Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
Salary MYR 22,826.65 not included other major income[1]
Website www.pmo.gov.my
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The Prime Minister of Malaysia (Malay: Perdana Menteri Malaysia) is the indirectly elected head of government (executive) of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat), the elected lower house of Parliament. He heads the Cabinet, whose members are appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the prime minister's advice. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet shall be collectively responsible to Parliament. 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 its functions and powers.

The current prime minister is Najib Razak.

History

The prime minister has been from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) since independence. It is the largest component party of the Barisan Nasional (National Front), which was known as the Perikatan (Alliance Party) until the 1969 general election.

Tunku Abdul Rahman was the Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya, restyled to Prime Minister of Malaysia in 16 September 1963 after the formation of Malaysia. Federation of Malaya became independent on 31 August 1957.[2]

The 6th prime minister, Mohd Najib bin Abdul Razak is the eldest son of the second prime minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak bin Hussein.[3]

Requirements for taking office

According to the constitution, the Prime Minister must be a member of the House of Representatives and command the confidence of the majority members of Dewan Rakyat; citizen of Malaysia but not by naturalisation.

The Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers shall take and subscribe in the presence of Yang di-Pertuan Agong the oath of office and allegiance and the oath of secrecy before exercise the functions of the office. The Cabinet shall be collectively responsible to Parliament.

Although statutory states that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has discretion in the appointment of the prime minister, the appointment is invariably given to the chief of the dominant party which commanding the most seats in lower house of parliament.

If the Prime Minister ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the House of Representatives, then, unless at his request the Yang di-Pertuan Agong dissolves Parliament, the Prime Minister shall tender the resignation of the Cabinet.

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 HM's 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 of general election to be held 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.

Acting Prime Minister

V. T. Sambanthan was acting prime minister for one day when both the prime minister and his deputy were out of the country at the same time.[4]

Tun Dr. Ismail occasionally act as acting Prime Minister when Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak was on leave or overseas.[5]

Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim act as an acting Prime Minister for two months started from 19 May 1997 as Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad was on vacation.[6]

List of Prime Ministers of Malaysia

Coalition:       Alliance Party (AP)/       National Front (BN)

Political Party:       United Malays National Organisation (UMNO)

GE
Term		 № Name
Constituency
(Birth–Death)		 Picture Term of office Party Coalition Honorific title
Took Office Left Office Days
before independence 1 Tunku Abdul Rahman
MP for Kuala Muda
(1903–1990)		 31 August 1957 19 August 1959 4770 UMNO AP Father of Independence
(Bapa Kemerdekaan)
and
Father of Malaysia
(Bapa Malaysia)
1 19 August 1959 21 March 1964
2 21 March 1964 10 May 1969
3 10 May 1969 22 September 1970
2 Abdul Razak Hussein
MP for Pekan
(1922–1976)		 22 September 1970 24 August 1974 1940 UMNO AP Father of Development
(Bapa Pembangunan)
4 24 August 1974 14 January 1976 BN
3 Hussein Onn
MP for Johor Timur
(1922–1990)		 14 January 1976 8 July 1978 2010 UMNO BN Father of Unity
(Bapa Perpaduan)
5 8 July 1978 16 July 1981
4 Mahathir Mohamad
MP for Kubang Pasu
(b. 1925)		 16 July 1981 22 April 1982 8142 UMNO BN Father of Modernisation
(Bapa Pemodenan)
6 22 April 1982 3 August 1986
7 3 August 1986 21 October 1990
8 21 October 1990 25 April 1995
9 25 April 1995 29 November 1999
10 29 November 1999 31 October 2003
5 Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
MP for Kepala Batas
(b. 1939)		 31 October 2003 21 March 2004 1981 UMNO BN Father of Human Capital Development
(Bapa Pembangunan Modal Insan)
11 21 March 2004 8 March 2008
12 8 March 2008 3 April 2009
6 Najib Razak
MP for Pekan
(b. 1953)		 3 April 2009 6 May 2013 2214 UMNO BN Father of Transformation
(Bapa Transformasi)
13 6 May 2013 Incumbent

Living former Prime Ministers

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prime ministers of Malaysia.
  1. ↑ PM and his cabinet ministers salary
  2. ↑ The UK Statute Law Database: Federation of Malaya Independence Act 1957 (c. 60)
  3. ↑ Prime Ministers of Malaysia
  4. ↑ "We should not forget Sambanthan’s contributions - Opinion | The Star Online". Thestar.com.my. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  5. ↑ Tokoh Negara. Malaysiamerdeka.gov.my. Retrieved on 27 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Kronologi membawa kepada pelucutan semua jawatan. arkibcmk.blogspot.com. Retrieved on 27 September 2013.