Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan are the three Federal Territories which, under Article 1(4) of the Federal Constitution, are severed from their parent states (Selangor and Sabah) and become territories of the Federation. Because they are not states, none of the three has a state government, a Sultan or Ruler, or a State Legislative Assembly (DUN); all administrative matters are held by the Federal Government. On the ground, each territory is run by a local authority whose head (Mayor or President) is appointed rather than elected — Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Putrajaya Corporation and Labuan Corporation — while the Federal Territories Department under the Prime Minister's Department coordinates at the federal level.
- All three territories were severed from their parent states through constitutional amendments: Kuala Lumpur (Act A206, 1973), Labuan (Act A585, 1984) and Putrajaya (Act A1095, 2001), and became territories of the Federation under Article 1(4)
- Because they are not states, none of the three has a state government, a Ruler/Sultan, or a State Legislative Assembly (DUN)
- Residents vote for the Dewan Rakyat only: Article 46 provides for 13 seats — 11 for Kuala Lumpur, 1 for Labuan and 1 for Putrajaya — but there are no DUN seats
- Article 45 provides for Members of the Dewan Negara appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong: two for Kuala Lumpur, one for Labuan and one for Putrajaya
- Day-to-day administration is held by local authorities whose heads are appointed, not elected: DBKL (Mayor), Putrajaya Corporation and Labuan Corporation
Who this applies to: Anyone who wants to understand why KL, Putrajaya and Labuan have no state government, who administers them, and how their residents are represented.
On this page
In a state, there is a Sultan or Yang di-Pertua Negeri, there is a Menteri Besar or Chief Minister, and there is a State Legislative Assembly elected by the people. In Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, there is none of that. These three places are not states — they are Federal Territories, and they are administered directly by the Federal Government.
That is why a Kuala Lumpur resident votes for a Member of Parliament but never votes for an “ADUN” (state assemblyman); and why the city’s chief executive — the Mayor — is appointed, not elected. Here is how this arrangement works.
At a glance
| Number of territories | Three — Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan |
| Constitutional basis | Article 1(4), Federal Constitution |
| State government / DUN | None — administered directly by the Federation |
| Head of local administration | Mayor / President who is appointed, not elected |
| Elected representation | Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) only; no DUN seats |
| Federal coordinator | Federal Territories Department, under the Prime Minister’s Department |
What is a Federal Territory, and how was it formed?
A Federal Territory is an area placed under the direct administration of the Federal Government and not under any state government. Malaysia has three: Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.
All three were originally part of a state. Article 1(4) of the Federal Constitution makes clear that the territory of the State of Selangor excludes the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (established through the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1973 [Act A206]) and the Federal Territory of Putrajaya (Constitution (Amendment) Act 2001 [Act A1095]); while the territory of the State of Sabah excludes the Federal Territory of Labuan (Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1984 [Act A585]). The same Article affirms that “all such Federal Territories shall be territories of the Federation.”
According to the Federal Territories Department, each territory was formed for a specific role: Kuala Lumpur as the national capital, Putrajaya as the Federal Administrative Centre, and Labuan as the International Business and Financial Centre. Kuala Lumpur was declared a Federal Territory in 1974, Labuan in 1984, and Putrajaya in 2001.
Why do none of the three have a state government or a DUN?
The reason is simple but important: only a state has a State Legislative Assembly. Because a Federal Territory is not a state, no Ruler or Sultan reigns over it, there is no Menteri Besar or Chief Minister, and there is no DUN to make state laws or pass a state budget.
The powers normally held by a state — such as local government and town planning — are held by the Federation for these territories. The Constitution places “all matters relating to the Federal Territories” within the jurisdiction of Parliament; see the division of Federal–State powers for the full picture of the Federal List and the State List.
This means that decisions made by a DUN in other states are here made through federal machinery and appointed local authorities.
Who administers each territory?
Each territory has one local authority that carries out local government functions — licensing, town planning, public health, waste management and development. The head of this body is appointed, not elected.
| Territory | Year became FT | Constitutional amendment act | Official role | Local authority | Dewan Rakyat members | Dewan Negara members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | 1974 | Act A206 (1973) | National capital | Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) | 11 | 2 |
| Labuan | 1984 | Act A585 (1984) | International Business & Financial Centre | Labuan Corporation | 1 | 1 |
| Putrajaya | 2001 | Act A1095 (2001) | Federal Administrative Centre | Putrajaya Corporation | 1 | 1 |
Kuala Lumpur — Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). DBKL is headed by the Mayor. According to DBKL, municipal elections have been suspended since 1970, and since Kuala Lumpur attained city status on 1 February 1972, its chief executive has been titled the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur. The Mayor is appointed for a three-year term as a Federal Government appointee.
Putrajaya — Putrajaya Corporation. Putrajaya Corporation was established under the Perbadanan Putrajaya Act 1995 [Act 536] to administer and manage the Federal Territory of Putrajaya. It carries out all local government functions within the territory in addition to advancing economic, social, infrastructure and residential development.
Labuan — Labuan Corporation. Labuan Corporation is the local authority that administers the Federal Territory of Labuan, carrying out the functions of a local government and a local planning authority, and advancing Labuan as a tourism centre, duty-free area and trading hub.
If there is no DUN, how are residents represented?
Residents of the Federal Territories still have a voice in Parliament — just not at the state level.
Dewan Rakyat. Article 46 of the Federal Constitution provides for 13 seats in the Dewan Rakyat for the three territories: eleven for Kuala Lumpur, one for Labuan and one for Putrajaya. It is these seats that residents vote for in a general election.
Dewan Negara. Article 45, in turn, provides for Members of the Dewan Negara (Senators) who are appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong: two for the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, one for Labuan and one for Putrajaya.
The key distinction is as follows:
- Dewan Rakyat — elected by the people through the ballot.
- Dewan Negara — appointed, not elected.
- State Legislative Assembly (DUN) — does not exist for the Federal Territories.
So a voter in Cheras votes for their Member of Parliament, but there has never been a ballot for a state representative — because Kuala Lumpur has no State Legislative Assembly.
Who coordinates at the federal level?
Above the three local authorities sits the Federal Territories Department (JWP), which operates under the Prime Minister’s Department. The JWP coordinates policy, development and administration across Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, and serves as the link between the Federal Government and DBKL, Putrajaya Corporation and Labuan Corporation.
This function was once held by a full ministry — the Ministry of Federal Territories — before being placed as a department under the Prime Minister’s Department. What has not changed is the basic principle: these territories are administered from the federal level, not the state level.
What’s next
To understand why “all matters relating to the Federal Territories” fall to the Federation rather than the states, read the division of Federal–State powers. To see the institution that does not exist in these territories, see the State Legislative Assembly (DUN). For the houses that represent territory residents in Parliament, see the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara. And for the big picture of Malaysia’s tiers of government, see the three tiers of government.
Is Kuala Lumpur a state?
No. Kuala Lumpur is a Federal Territory. Under Article 1(4) of the Federal Constitution, it was severed from the State of Selangor and became a territory of the Federation, so it has no state government and no State Legislative Assembly.
Why don't Federal Territory residents vote in state elections?
Because a Federal Territory is not a state and has no State Legislative Assembly to vote for. Residents vote only for the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) — Article 46 provides for 11 seats for Kuala Lumpur plus one seat each for Labuan and Putrajaya.
Who appoints the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur?
The Mayor is appointed, not elected. According to Kuala Lumpur City Hall, municipal elections have been suspended since 1970 and the Mayor is appointed for a three-year term as a Federal Government appointee.
What is the difference between the Federal Territories Department and a local authority like DBKL?
The Federal Territories Department (JWP) under the Prime Minister's Department coordinates policy and development across the three territories at the federal level, whereas DBKL, Putrajaya Corporation and Labuan Corporation are the local authorities that carry out day-to-day matters such as licensing, town planning and municipal services in their respective territories.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Tahun penggantungan pilihan raya perbandaran: laman rasmi DBKL menyatakan 'sejak 1970', tetapi penggantungan pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan di seluruh negara lazimnya didokumentasikan bermula 1965 (kemudian diformalkan melalui Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976). Pengulas perlu mengesahkan tahun/rangka masa yang tepat.
- Petikan perlembagaan Perkara 1(4), 45 dan 46 tidak dapat diekstrak semula terus daripada PDF Perlembagaan Persekutuan (Cetakan Semula 2020) AGC kerana teksnya tidak boleh dibaca mesin; sahkan bilangan kerusi Dewan Rakyat (13: 11 KL / 1 Labuan / 1 Putrajaya) dan Senator (2 KL / 1 Labuan / 1 Putrajaya) terhadap teks primer yang boleh dibaca.
- Status kelembagaan penyelaras persekutuan (Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri berbanding sebuah Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan penuh) pernah berubah antara kerajaan; sahkan susunan semasa pada tarikh penerbitan.
Sources
- Federal Constitution (Reprint 2020) — Perkara 1(4), 45(1) dan 46(2) — Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia
- Latar Belakang Wilayah Persekutuan — penubuhan dan peranan KL, Labuan, Putrajaya — Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan, Jabatan Perdana Menteri
- Portal Rasmi Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan — Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan, Jabatan Perdana Menteri
- Akta Perbadanan Putrajaya 1995 [Akta 536] — Perbadanan Putrajaya
- Latar Belakang Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur — Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 1 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |