# Dewan Rakyat: 222 Seats, Five Years, and the Powers the Constitution Gives It

> The Dewan Rakyat is the House of the Malaysian Parliament whose members are elected. Article 46 of the Federal Constitution sets 222 seats and their division among the States and the Federal Territories, while Article 55 sets a maximum term of five years for each Parliament.

- Category: glossary
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/glossary/dewan-rakyat

---

**Bahasa Malaysia:** Dewan Rakyat · **English:** House of Representatives · **中文:** 下议院

The number 222 is not an administrative figure that can be changed by
circular. It is written into **Article 46 of the Federal Constitution**, and
every additional seat, or every seat removed, requires a constitutional
amendment.

That is the most useful starting point for understanding the Dewan Rakyat:
almost all of its fundamental features — its size, the age of candidates, the
length of its term, the way the Speaker is chosen — come from the text of the
Constitution, not from practice.

## Constitutional summary

| Article | What it provides |
| --- | --- |
| Article 46 | 222 elected members; divided among States and Federal Territories |
| Article 47 | Qualification: resident citizen, aged not less than 18 |
| Article 48 | Grounds for disqualification from membership |
| Article 52 | Six months' absence without permission may vacate a seat |
| Article 54 | Casual vacancy filled within 60 days, subject to conditions |
| Article 55 | Summoning, proroguing and dissolving Parliament; five-year term |
| Article 57 | The Speaker and two Deputy Speakers |
| Article 59 | Oath before taking one's seat |
| Article 62 | The House regulates its own procedure; ordinary majority decisions |
| Articles 67, 68 | Financial Bills and the effect of the Dewan Rakyat's passage |

## Where the 222 comes from

Article 46(2) breaks that total down into two groups: **209 members from the
States** and **13 members from the Federal Territories**.

| State | Seats | State | Seats |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Johor | 26 | Perak | 24 |
| Kedah | 15 | Perlis | 3 |
| Kelantan | 14 | Sabah | 25 |
| Melaka | 6 | Sarawak | 31 |
| Negeri Sembilan | 8 | Selangor | 22 |
| Pahang | 14 | Terengganu | 8 |
| Penang | 13 | | |

For the [Federal Territories](/en/glossary/wilayah-persekutuan), Article
46(2)(b) provides for **11 seats for Kuala Lumpur, one for Labuan and one for
Putrajaya**.

These figures are not a legacy unchanged since Merdeka. The amendment notes
printed against Article 46 in the official reprint show that on Merdeka Day,
the Article provided for **one hundred elected members** — except for the
first Dewan Rakyat, which consisted of **104 members**. Today's total, in
turn, comes from **Akta A1260**, which came into force on 19 January 2006, and
replaced the words *"two hundred and nineteen"* with *"two hundred and
twenty-two"* — an increase of three seats, all of them for Sarawak (28 to 31).
Every change between those two points likewise took place through a
**constitutional amendment** following a review of electoral boundaries, not
through an administrative decision.

## Who is eligible to be a member

Article 47 sets out the basic condition in a single sentence: every **citizen
resident in the Federation** is qualified to be a member of the Dewan Rakyat
if he is not less than **18 years of age** — unless he is disqualified under
the Constitution or under any law made under Article 48.

The figure of 18 is recent. **Akta A1603** (the Constitution (Amendment) Act
2019), which came into force on 11 September 2019, replaced the words *"twenty-
one years"* with *"eighteen years"* in Article 47(b). The 15 October 2020
reprint already incorporates this amendment — any copy of the Constitution
predating that commencement date will show the old figure.

Compare this with the [Dewan Negara](/en/glossary/dewan-negara): Article
47(a) sets a minimum age of 30 there. That age difference is the only basic
qualification difference between the two Houses under Article 47.

After being elected, Article 59(1) requires every member to **take and
subscribe the oath** in the form set out in the Sixth Schedule before taking
his seat. A member may take part in the election of the Speaker before taking
the oath, but Article 59(2) provides: if the member does not take his seat
within six months from the date the House first meets after his election — or
such longer period as the House may allow — his seat becomes vacant.

## Disqualification

Article 48(1) lists the grounds on which a person becomes disqualified from
being a member of either House of Parliament:

- found or declared to be of unsound mind;
- an undischarged bankrupt;
- holding an office of profit;
- failing to lodge a return of election expenses as required by law;
- convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than
  **one year** or to a fine of not less than **RM2,000**, without having
  received a free pardon;
- voluntarily acquiring or exercising the citizenship of a foreign country, or
  making a declaration of allegiance to a foreign country.

Disqualification under the two grounds relating to the expenses return and to
conviction may be removed by the
[Yang di-Pertuan Agong](/en/glossary/yang-di-pertuan-agong); otherwise it
ceases after **five years** (Article 48(3)). Article 48(4), in turn, suspends
the operation of a disqualification arising from a conviction for 14 days, and
longer still if an appeal or a petition for pardon is filed.

Article 48(6) adds a provision specific to the Dewan Rakyat: a person who
**resigns his membership** is disqualified from being a member of the Dewan
Rakyat for five years from the date that resignation takes effect.

## Five years — and what happens within it

Article 55 contains three distinct mechanisms that are frequently conflated.

**Summoning.** The Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall summon Parliament from time to
time, and shall not allow **six months** to elapse between the last sitting of
one session and the first meeting of the next session.

**Proroguing.** Prorogation ends one *session* and replaces it with the next
session. Article 55(5) clarifies its effect: a Bill that has not yet been
disposed of **does not lapse** by reason of prorogation.

**Dissolving.** Unless sooner dissolved, Parliament continues **for five years
from the date of its first meeting** and then stands dissolved (Article
55(3)). Once Parliament is dissolved, a general election shall be held within
**60 days**, and Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than **120
days** from the date of dissolution (Article 55(4)).

For a seat that falls vacant mid-session, Article 54(1) sets a period of **60
days** to fill a casual vacancy from the date the Election Commission
ascertains it. There is one important condition: if the vacancy occurs within
**two years** before the date Parliament would otherwise be dissolved, the
vacancy is not to be filled unless the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat notifies
the Election Commission in writing that the numerical strength of the parties
comprising the majority is affected.

## The Speaker

Article 57(1) gives the Dewan Rakyat an option the Dewan Negara does not have:
the Speaker may be elected from among the members of the Dewan Rakyat **or**
from among a person who is qualified to be elected as a member. The two
Deputy Speakers, however, must be from among the members.

If a person who is not a member is elected as Speaker, Article 57(1A) makes
him a member of the Dewan Rakyat **in addition to** the 222 elected members —
but with the express proviso that he is not entitled to vote on any matter
before the House.

The Dewan Rakyat also may not transact any business while the office of
Speaker is vacant, other than the election of the Speaker itself.

For decisions of the House, Article 62(3) provides for **a simple majority of
the members voting**, and the person presiding shall cast a vote only when
necessary to avoid an equality of votes.

## Powers unique to the Dewan Rakyat

Three provisions give the Dewan Rakyat a different standing from the Dewan
Negara in the [legislative process](/en/law/how-a-bill-becomes-law) and in
administration.

**Financial Bills.** Article 67(1) provides that a Bill imposing taxation,
charging the Consolidated Fund, or making other listed financial provisions
**may not be introduced in the Dewan Negara**, and may only be brought in by a
Minister.

**Limited delay.** Under Article 68(1), if a Money Bill is passed by the
Dewan Rakyat and sent to the Dewan Negara at least one month before the end of
the session but is not passed without amendment within one month, the Bill is
nevertheless presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for assent. For a
non-Money Bill, Article 68(2) allows a similar passage after it is passed
again in the following session — not earlier than one year after the first
passage.

**Appointment of the Prime Minister.** Article 43(2)(a) provides that the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall appoint as Prime Minister **a member of the Dewan
Rakyat** who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the
majority of the members of that House. Other Ministers may be appointed from
among the members of either House of Parliament.

## Common mistakes

- **Equating a "session" with the "term of Parliament".** One Parliament may
  contain several sessions; a session ends through prorogation, whereas
  Parliament ends through dissolution or the expiry of the five-year term.
- **Assuming Parliament must sit for the full five years.** Article 55(3)
  sets five years as the maximum limit, not a fixed term.
- **Assuming every vacancy must be filled.** The two-year condition in
  Article 54(1) restricts the filling of a casual vacancy near the end of a
  session, except in the stated circumstances.
- **Assuming the Speaker must necessarily be a Member of Parliament.**
  Article 57(1) allows a non-member to be elected, subject to Article 57(1A).
- **Citing an old reprint as the current text.** The 15 October 2020 reprint
  incorporates amendments in force up to that date — including the age of 18
  from Akta A1603 — but not amendments that came later, such as Akta A1663
  (2022). The current text is always on the Federal Legislation Portal.

## Related terms

- [Parliament of Malaysia](/en/government/parliament)
- [Dewan Negara](/en/glossary/dewan-negara)
- [Federal Constitution](/en/law/federal-constitution)
- [How a Bill Becomes Law](/en/law/how-a-bill-becomes-law)
- [Yang di-Pertuan Agong](/en/glossary/yang-di-pertuan-agong)
- [Federal Territories](/en/glossary/wilayah-persekutuan)

## What's next

When you read a claim about the Dewan Rakyat — the number of seats, a
dissolution date, or who may become Speaker — look for the Article number
that supports it, then verify that Article against the current text at
`lom.agc.gov.my`. The Constitution has been amended dozens of times, and the
reprint circulating online is often older than assumed.

To see how these 222 seats work together with the other House in passing
legislation, continue to [Parliament of Malaysia](/en/government/parliament)
and [Dewan Negara](/en/glossary/dewan-negara).

---

*This article is classified as sensitive (3R+1: constitutional matters) under
NegaraKu.md's editorial policy. It is written to be strictly descriptive —
covering structure and function only — and remains a draft pending human
review. Every figure has been verified against the text of the Federal
Constitution (Reprint 2020, Malay and English versions) at lom.agc.gov.my.*

## Sources

- Perlembagaan Persekutuan (Cetakan Semula sebagaimana pada 15 Oktober 2020) — Perkara 43, 46, 47, 48, 52, 54, 55, 57, 59, 62, 67, 68 dan catatan pindaan — https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/MY/Perlembagaan%20Persekutuan%20(Cetakan%20Semula%202020).pdf (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia)
- Federal Constitution (Reprint as at 15 October 2020) — https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Federal%20Constitution%20(Reprint%202020).pdf (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia)
- Portal Perundangan Persekutuan — Perlembagaan Persekutuan — https://lom.agc.gov.my/federal-constitution.php (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia)
- Maklumat Umum Dewan Rakyat — https://www.parlimen.gov.my/maklumat-umum.html?uweb=dr (Parlimen Malaysia)
- Akta A1603 — Akta Perlembagaan (Pindaan) 2019 (pindaan Perkara 47(b): 'dua puluh satu tahun' kepada 'lapan belas tahun', berkuat kuasa 11-09-2019) — https://lom.agc.gov.my/act-detail.php?act=A1603&lang=BM (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia)
- Akta A1663 — Akta Perlembagaan (Pindaan) (No. 3) 2022 — https://lom.agc.gov.my/act-detail.php?act=A1663&lang=BM (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia)

---
Source of truth: https://github.com/negaraku-md/NegaraKu.md
License: CC BY-SA 4.0