# State Legislative Assembly (DUN) and the role of an ADUN

> The State Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri, DUN) is the legislature of a state, and its members are called ADUN. This article explains the role of the DUN and the ADUN, and how it runs parallel to — but separate from — the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara at the Federal level.

- Category: glossary
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-01
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/glossary/dewan-undangan-negeri

---

**Bahasa Malaysia:** Dewan Undangan Negeri · **English:** State Legislative Assembly · **中文:** 州议会

On a state election day, you vote twice. One ballot paper elects your Member of
Parliament to be sent to Kuala Lumpur. The other elects your **ADUN** — your
Member of the State Legislative Assembly — to represent your constituency in the
state assembly. Two papers, two levels of government, two entirely separate
legislatures.

The State Legislative Assembly (DUN) is where that second vote takes on meaning.
It is the body that passes land laws, Islamic family laws, and local-government
enactments for a state. This page explains what the DUN is, who an ADUN is, and
how this state level runs parallel to — yet apart from — the
[Dewan Rakyat](/glossary/dewan-rakyat) and
[Dewan Negara](/glossary/dewan-negara) at the Federal level.

## At a glance

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Full name | Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislative Assembly) |
| Member abbreviation | ADUN — Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri |
| Level | State (one of 13 states) |
| Form | Single-chamber (unicameral) legislature |
| Constitutional basis | Article 71; Part I of the Eighth Schedule, Federal Constitution |
| Composition | The Ruler and one Assembly, the DUN (section 3) |
| Number of seats | Fixed by state law (section 4); ~600 in all (DOSM 2015–2018 snapshot, changing) |
| Member qualifying age | 18 and above (section 5) |
| Maximum term | Five years from the first sitting (section 9(3)) |
| Presiding officer | Yang di-Pertua / Speaker (section 10) |
| Head of state government | Menteri Besar / Chief Minister (section 2) |

## What is the DUN, and who is an ADUN?

The **State Legislative Assembly** is the legislature of a state — an assembly of
elected representatives who pass state laws and oversee the state government.
Every state has its own DUN; some states use a local name such as "Dewan Negeri"
(for example the Dewan Negeri Johor), but it refers to the same thing.

**ADUN** is the abbreviation for **Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri** — the person
elected to represent a state constituency within that DUN. An ADUN is a "people's
representative" at the state level, just as a Member of Parliament is a people's
representative at the Federal level. Each DUN constituency lies within a larger
parliamentary constituency, so one parliamentary constituency usually contains
several DUN constituencies.

The most important thing to understand about the DUN is that it is not a small
version of Parliament with its own rules made at will. Almost all of its basic
features — composition, term, member qualifications, how laws are passed — come
from one place: **Article 71 and the Eighth Schedule of the Federal
Constitution**.

## DUN or Dewan Rakyat — what's the difference?

Both are legislatures whose members are elected. The key difference is *level*
and *scope*: the DUN makes laws for one state only, the Dewan Rakyat for the
whole Federation. The table below places the DUN alongside the two chambers of
Parliament.

| Feature | State Legislative Assembly (DUN) | Dewan Rakyat | Dewan Negara |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Level | State | Federal | Federal |
| How members enter | Elected (election) | Elected (election) | Appointed and elected |
| What members are called | ADUN | Member of Parliament | Senator (Ahli Dewan Negara) |
| Number | Fixed by state law (section 4); ~600 in all (DOSM snapshot) | 222 (Article 46) | 2 per state + 4 Federal Territories + 40 appointed (Article 45) |
| Term | Five years, may be dissolved early (section 9(3)) | Five years, may be dissolved early (Article 55(3)) | Members' term three years, unaffected by dissolution (Article 45(3)) |
| Scope of laws | State List and Concurrent List | Federal List and Concurrent List | Same as the Dewan Rakyat (reviews Bills) |

A difference that is often overlooked is in the "Number" row. The number of
Dewan Rakyat seats — 222 — is written directly into **Article 46** of the
Federal Constitution (that figure was raised from 219 to 222 by Act A1260,
effective 19 January 2006). The number of DUN seats, by contrast, is **not** set
in the Federal Constitution; it is left to each state's law under section 4(1)
of the Eighth Schedule. That is why the number of ADUN differs from one state to
another.

## Why is the DUN only one chamber while Parliament has two?

The federal Parliament has two chambers: the elected
[Dewan Rakyat](/glossary/dewan-rakyat) and the largely appointed
[Dewan Negara](/glossary/dewan-negara). Each DUN, by contrast, has only one
elected chamber.

The reason lies in section 3 of the Eighth Schedule, which states it in a single
sentence: **the State Legislature shall consist of the Ruler and one Assembly,
namely the Legislative Assembly.** There is no second chamber at the state level.
The word "Ruler" in that sentence matters — it shows that the "State Legislature"
is not merely the assembly of elected members, but also includes the Ruler,
because a Bill only becomes an enactment after it has been assented to (see the
section on enactments below).

## Where does the DUN get its power from?

Malaysia is a federation of 13 states, and Article 71 does not permit each state
to form its legislature as it pleases. Article 71(4) provides that if a state's
Constitution does not contain the provisions set out in **Part I of the Eighth
Schedule** — referred to as the **"essential provisions"** — or provisions that
are substantially the same, then Parliament may make law to enforce those
essential provisions in that state.

The effect is a shared framework. Each state writes its own Constitution, but the
core structure of the DUN is standardised by the Eighth Schedule. The following
sections are the backbone of every DUN:

| Section (Eighth Schedule) | What it sets out |
| --- | --- |
| Section 2 | The State Executive Council, the Menteri Besar and responsibility to the DUN |
| Section 3 | Composition: the Ruler and one Assembly, the DUN |
| Section 4 | Members are elected; the number is fixed by state law |
| Section 5 | Qualification to be a member: a citizen aged 18, resident in the state |
| Section 6 | Grounds for disqualification |
| Section 9 | Summoning, proroguing and dissolving the DUN; the five-year term |
| Section 10 | The Yang di-Pertua (Speaker) |
| Section 11 | How a state Bill is passed and assented to |
| Section 14 | Statement of estimated receipts and expenditure (the state budget) |

## Who can become an ADUN?

Section 5 sets out the basic requirement in a single sentence: every **citizen
aged eighteen years or above** who is **resident in the state** is qualified to
be a member of the DUN, unless disqualified under the Constitution or a law.

That figure of 18 is new. Previously the age limit was 21 years; the
**Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019 [Act A1603]** replaced the words
"twenty-one years" with "eighteen years" in section 5. The 2020 Reprint already
incorporates this amendment. (The effective date of the Undi18 provision was
implemented in stages; verify the exact date against the official gazette when it
becomes important.)

Note the difference with the Dewan Negara: there, Article 47 sets a higher
minimum age for a Senator. For the DUN and the
[Dewan Rakyat](/glossary/dewan-rakyat), the qualifying age is now the same, at 18
years.

Section 6 lists the grounds on which a person is **disqualified** from being a
member of the DUN:

- is found or declared to be of unsound mind;
- is an undischarged bankrupt;
- holds an office of profit;
- has failed to lodge a return of election expenses required by law;
- has been convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment for **not less
  than one year** or a fine of **not less than RM2,000**, without a free pardon;
- is disqualified under a law relating to election offences; or
- has voluntarily acquired or exercised the citizenship of a foreign country, or
  has made a declaration of allegiance to a foreign country.

For the last two grounds relating to the return of expenses and conviction,
section 6(2) allows the Ruler to remove the disqualification; if it is not
removed, it ceases after **five years**.

## How long is a DUN term?

Section 9 governs the life cycle of the DUN, and it is almost identical to
Article 55, which governs Parliament:

- **Section 9(1)** — the Ruler shall summon the DUN 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.
- **Section 9(2)** — the Ruler may **prorogue or dissolve** the DUN.
- **Section 9(3)** — unless dissolved earlier, the DUN runs for **five years**
  from the date of its first meeting, and then dissolves of its own accord.
- **Section 9(4)** — when the DUN is dissolved, a general election shall be held
  within **60 days**, and the new DUN shall be summoned to meet not later than
  **120 days** from the date of dissolution.
- **Section 9(5)** — a casual vacancy is filled within **60 days**, subject to
  one condition: if the vacancy occurs within **two years** before the DUN is due
  to dissolve, it is not filled unless the Yang di-Pertua notifies the Election
  Commission that the numerical strength of the majority party is affected.

Because the terms of the DUN and Parliament are separate, a state election does
not necessarily happen at the same time as a federal general election — a DUN can
be dissolved on its own schedule.

## How is a state enactment made?

The DUN passes state laws, which are commonly known as **Enactments**. The path
of a Bill is set out in section 11:

1. **Section 11(1)** — the power to make law is exercised through a **Bill passed
   by the DUN and assented to by the Ruler**.
2. **Section 11(2)** — a Bill involving expenditure from the State Consolidated
   Fund can only be introduced by **a member of the State Executive Council**
   (EXCO).
3. **Section 11(2A)** — the Ruler shall assent to the Bill within **30 days**
   after it is presented.
4. **Section 11(2B)** — if it is not assented to within that period, the Bill
   **becomes law when the 30 days lapse**, as if it had been assented to.
5. **Section 11(3)** — it becomes law upon assent, but **no law comes into force
   until it is published**.

The election of the presiding officer is described in section 10: the DUN elects
a **Yang di-Pertua** (Speaker), and may not transact any other business while
that office is vacant other than electing one. Interestingly, sections 10(1A) and
10(1B) allow a person who is **not a member of the DUN** to be elected as
Yang di-Pertua provided they are qualified to be a member — in that case they
become an additional member but are not entitled to vote.

## What power does the DUN have over the state government?

The DUN is not merely a machine for passing laws; it is also where the state
government obtains its mandate and is held accountable. Section 2 of the Eighth
Schedule connects it to the state's executive branch, the **State Executive
Council** (EXCO):

- **Section 2(2)(a)** — the Ruler first appoints as
  [Menteri Besar](/glossary/menteri-besar) a member of the DUN who **in their
  judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority** of the members
  of the Assembly.
- **Section 2(2)(b)** — on the advice of the Menteri Besar, the Ruler appoints
  **not more than ten and not less than four** other members from among the
  members of the DUN.
- **Section 2(5)** — the State Executive Council is **collectively responsible to
  the DUN**.
- **Section 2(6)** — if the Menteri Besar ceases to command the confidence of the
  majority of the members of the DUN, they shall tender the resignation of the
  Executive Council — unless, at their request, the Ruler dissolves the DUN.

Financial power lies in section 14: for each financial year, the Ruler shall
cause a **statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the state** —
the state budget — to be laid before the DUN. In this way, the power to spend
state money rests on the consent of the DUN.

## What can and cannot the DUN make laws about?

The scope of the DUN's power is not unlimited. It depends on the division of
powers in the
[Federal, State and Concurrent Lists](/government/federal-state-division)
(Ninth Schedule):

- **Article 73(b)** — a State Legislature may make laws for the whole or any part
  of the state.
- **Article 74(2)** — the DUN may only make laws on matters in the **State List**
  (Second List) or the **Concurrent List** (Third List). Examples of State List
  matters include land, local government, and Syariah law for Muslims.
- **Article 75** — if a state law is **inconsistent** with a federal law, the
  federal law **prevails** and the state law is void to the extent of the
  inconsistency.

There is also a flow in the opposite direction. Article 76 allows Parliament to
make law on State List matters in limited circumstances — to implement an
international treaty, to promote uniformity between states, or when **requested by
the DUN of a state**. Even in those circumstances, Article 76(2) forbids
Parliament from making law on Syariah law or Malay custom, or the law and custom
of the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, without consulting the state government
concerned.

The internal proceedings of the DUN are also protected. Article 72(1) provides
that **the validity of any proceedings in the DUN shall not be questioned in any
court**, and Article 72(2) gives members immunity from court action for anything
said or any vote given in DUN proceedings.

## How to tell whether an issue is a matter for the DUN or Parliament

When a policy issue arises, one quick way to know which level is responsible:

1. **Is it in the Federal List?** (for example defence, citizenship, income tax)
   — if so, it is a matter for Parliament, not the DUN.
2. **Is it in the State List?** (for example land, local government, Syariah law)
   — if so, the DUN of the state concerned passes the law.
3. **Is it in the Concurrent List?** (for example social welfare, housing) — both
   levels can make law, but if there is a conflict, the federal law prevails
   (Article 75).

Refer to the
[federal–state division of powers](/government/federal-state-division) for the
full list.

## States without a Ruler

Nine states have a Ruler: Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang,
Perak, Perlis, Selangor and Terengganu. The four other states — **Penang,
Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak** — do not have a Ruler. Article 160(2) defines the
**Yang di-Pertua Negeri** as "the Head of State in a State not having a Ruler".

In these states, the functions conferred on the "Ruler" under the Eighth
Schedule — summoning and dissolving the DUN, assenting to Bills, appointing the
Menteri Besar or Chief Minister — are carried out by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.
Article 160(2) also records a historical detail: the definition of "Legislative
Assembly" specifically **includes the Council Negri in Sarawak**, the old name
for the Sarawak DUN.

## How many DUN constituencies are there in Malaysia?

Because the number of seats is fixed state by state, there is no single number in
the Federal Constitution that sets the size of all the DUN. Overall, however, the
Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) data catalogue covers **600 DUN
constituencies across 13 states**, according to the boundaries set through the
redelineation of 2015 to 2018. The three Federal Territories — Kuala Lumpur,
Labuan and Putrajaya — are not included because they do not have a DUN.

That figure of 600 is a snapshot, not a fixed number. It has already moved: in
July 2025, the Sarawak DUN approved a bill to raise its number of seats from 82
to 99, which triggered a redelineation by the Election Commission before the next
state election. So for an accurate current total, verify against the official EC
gazette rather than the old catalogue figure.

## Common mistakes

- **Confusing the DUN with the Dewan Negara.** The DUN is the legislature of a
  state; the [Dewan Negara](/glossary/dewan-negara) is the upper chamber of the
  federal Parliament. The name "Dewan Negeri" used by some states refers to the
  DUN, not the Dewan Negara.
- **Assuming the number of DUN seats is set in the Federal Constitution.** It is
  not. Section 4(1) leaves it to each state's law, so the number differs between
  states.
- **Assuming Federal Territories have a DUN.** Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya
  are not states; laws for the Federal Territories are made by Parliament.
- **Assuming the DUN must be dissolved at the same time as Parliament.** The term
  of each DUN is counted separately under section 9(3), so a state election can
  happen at a different time from a general election.
- **Confusing the size of the EXCO with the number of DUN members.** Section
  2(2)(b) limits the members of the State Executive Council (other than the
  Menteri Besar) to not more than ten and not less than four — this is not the
  total number of DUN members.
- **Stating the ADUN qualifying age as 21 years.** Since Act A1603, the age to
  qualify as a member of the DUN under section 5 is 18 years.

## Related terms

- [Dewan Rakyat](/glossary/dewan-rakyat) — the elected chamber of the federal Parliament
- [Dewan Negara](/glossary/dewan-negara) — the upper chamber of the federal Parliament
- [Menteri Besar or Chief Minister](/glossary/menteri-besar) — the head of the state government
- [State Legislative Assembly: full constitutional account](/government/state-assemblies-dun) — an in-depth treatment of the Eighth Schedule
- [Who makes what law: the Federal, State and Concurrent Lists](/government/federal-state-division)
- [Federal Constitution](/law/federal-constitution)

## What's next

When you read a statement about the DUN — how many seats a state has, who can
become an ADUN, or when the DUN must sit — find the section of the Eighth
Schedule that supports it, then verify that section against the current text of
the Federal Constitution at `lom.agc.gov.my`. The number of seats for each state,
in turn, lies in that state's own law, not in the Federal Constitution.

To see the DUN in a wider picture, move on to the
[federal–state division of powers](/government/federal-state-division) to
understand what a DUN can make laws about, or to the
[Dewan Rakyat](/glossary/dewan-rakyat) to compare the state level with the
Federal level.

---

*This article is written descriptively — covering structure and function only —
and remains an AI draft until reviewed by a human. Every provision has been
verified against the text of the Federal Constitution (2020 Reprint, Malay-language
version) at lom.agc.gov.my. The total of 600 DUN constituencies is cited from the
OpenDOSM data catalogue (a snapshot based on the 2015–2018 boundaries) and is a
changing figure — see the freshness note in the body of the article and the
`verificationNeeded` list.*

## Sources

- Perlembagaan Persekutuan (Cetakan Semula sebagaimana pada 15 Oktober 2020) — Perkara 45, 46, 55, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 160 dan Jadual Kelapan Bahagian I (seksyen 2–14) — https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/MY/Perlembagaan%20Persekutuan%20(Cetakan%20Semula%202020).pdf (Jabatan Peguam Negara Malaysia)
- Jadual Penduduk: Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) — 600 kawasan DUN di 13 negeri — https://open.dosm.gov.my/ms-MY/data-catalogue/population_dun (Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia (DOSM))
- Sarawak tables bill to grow state assembly from 82 to 99 seats — https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/07/07/sarawak-tables-bill-to-grow-state-assembly-from-82-to-99-seats/183076 (Malay Mail)

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