- Federalism in Malaysia
Federalism in Malaysia dates back to the establishment of the
Federated Malay States inPeninsular Malaysia , then known as Malaya.Federalism inMalaysia took a more concrete form with the establishment of theFederation of Malaya . The merger of Malaya withSingapore ,Sabah andSarawak further complicated the situation. As of 2008, although Malaysia is a "de jure " federation, many perceive it as a "de facto "unitary state . Some suggest that opposition triumphs in several of the 2008 state elections will alter the political climate and approach towards federalism.tate governments
The state governments are led by chief ministers ("
Menteri Besar " or "Ketua Menteri", the latter term being used in states without hereditary rulers), selected by the state assemblies ("Dewan Undangan Negeri ") advising their respective sultans or governors.Resemblance of unitary state
Although Malaysia is a federal state, political scientists have suggested that its "federalism is highly centralised":
The 2008 general elections saw a loose coalition between the
Democratic Action Party ,Parti Keadilan Rakyat and PAS win a majority in five of the thirteen state legislative assemblies. Previously, the rulingBarisan Nasional coalition controlled twelve of the state governments, with the exception ofKelantan . In aneditorial , "The Sun" suggested that this would herald changes for the relationship between state and federal governments:References
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