Parliament of Malaysia

Independence and the Making of Malaysia · Treatise · 7 min read

Where Do Laws Come From

Article 44 Places Legislative Power in Parliament; Article 4 Places the Constitution Above All Laws

An independent nation requires not only executors but also lawmakers. Article 44 vests the federal legislative power in Parliament, which consists of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Dewan Negara, and Dewan Rakyat. Article 4 establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the federation; laws passed after independence that are inconsistent with it are void to the extent of the inconsistency. This article explores how Malaya transitioned from colonial orders to a legislative machinery under the Constitution.

Independence and the Making of Malaysia · Treatise · 6 min read

Power is Divided into Several Lists

The Federation is Not a Slogan. Its True Shape is Hidden in the Federal List, State List, and Concurrent List

Malaya is not a unitary state. Article 74 and the Ninth Schedule divide legislative powers into the Federal List, State List, and Concurrent List; Article 75 further stipulates that if a state law is inconsistent with a federal law, the federal law prevails to the extent of the inconsistency. These lists determine where matters like defense, foreign affairs, internal security, justice, land, local government, and Islamic affairs fall. This article reads only the institutional skeleton, without expanding on later state rights disputes.

Independence and the Making of Malaysia · Treatise · 10 min read

Who Can Change This Constitution

Article 159 Is Like a Bunch of Keys: Parliament Can Open Some Doors, Some Must Wait for the Rulers' Consent, and Some Later Connect to Sabah and Sarawak

The Constitution is not a stone tablet, nor is it a blank piece of paper. Article 159 states that the Constitution may be amended by federal law, but generally, a constitutional amendment bill requires the support of not less than two-thirds of the total number of members in both Houses of Parliament at its second and third readings; There are exceptions for some matters, while other sensitive matters must obtain the consent of the Conference of Rulers. Following the formation of Malaysia in 1963, Article 161E added another door of consent for certain constitutional positions of Sabah and Sarawak. This article explains: why the ability to be amended is proof that the Constitution is alive; and why the inability to be altered casually is what separates it from ordinary laws.

Nation-Building · Chronicle · 25 min read

What Happened After the May 13 Incident?

The votes had just been counted, but the doors to Parliament did not open. For the next twenty-one months, the nation was decided at a different table.

The general election on May 10, 1969 shaved off the Alliance's two-thirds majority. Three days later, severe violence erupted in Kuala Lumpur. A state of emergency was immediately declared, MAGERAN, led by Tun Abdul Razak, took over the administration of the country, and Parliament was suspended for twenty-one months. Official records, contemporary observations, and later studies are not entirely consistent regarding the processions, the starting point of the violence, and the death toll. This piece does not write a verdict for any ethnic group; it only asks how an election opened the doors to emergency rule.

First Transition and Collapse · Treatise · 3 min read

COVID-19 Emergency: Why Parliament Could Not Meet

On One Side: Delta, Hospital Beds, and Vaccines; On the Other: The PM's Majority, Emergency Ordinances, and Public Royal Rebuke

The 2021 national emergency suspended normal parliamentary operations citing the pandemic. The government argued it was necessary to centralize resources and avoid elections; critics pointed out that ordinary laws could enforce lockdowns, and suspending Parliament simultaneously protected Muhyiddin's unstable majority. The King later clarified that Parliament could still convene during the emergency.

Unity Government and Reform · Debate · 6 min read

Malaysia's Anti-Hopping Law 2022: Necessary Stability or Outsized Party Power?

One side argues MPs must stay loyal to parties for democratic stability; the other contends free votes are fundamental to representative democracy — six speakers, open exchange, three closing observations

Malaysia witnessed government collapse through the "Sheraton Move" in February 2020 — when members of parliament switched allegiance without an election — leading to four prime ministers in three years. In response, Parliament passed the Anti-Hopping amendment, effective December 2022: MPs who resign or are expelled from their party lose their seats. The question that remains: does this law solve the instability problem, or does it hand too much power to party leadership while leaving the larger loophole of collective party defection unaddressed?