This topic falls under a sensitive category and is presented descriptively and neutrally.
The Parliament of Malaysia is the federal legislature established under Part IV of the Federal Constitution. It comprises the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and two Houses: the Dewan Rakyat, whose 222 members are elected from single-member constituencies, and the Dewan Negara, whose members are elected by state legislative assemblies or appointed. Parliament makes federal law, approves supply and scrutinises the executive.
- Established under Part IV of the Federal Constitution; comprises the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and two Houses
- The Dewan Rakyat has 222 elected members, one per federal constituency numbered P001 to P222
- Dewan Negara members are elected by state legislative assemblies or appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
- Legislative competence is divided from the State Legislative Assemblies by the Ninth Schedule
- A bill generally requires passage by both Houses and royal assent before it becomes an Act
- The Dewan Rakyat's maximum term is fixed by the Constitution, after which it dissolves and a general election follows
Who this applies to: Anyone seeking a structural, descriptive understanding of how federal law is made in Malaysia.
On this page
At a glance
| Full name | Parliament of Malaysia (Parlimen Malaysia) |
| Type | Federal legislature, bicameral |
| Constitutional basis | Part IV of the Federal Constitution |
| Composition | The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Dewan Negara and the Dewan Rakyat |
| Dewan Rakyat | 222 members, elected from single-member constituencies P001 to P222 |
| Dewan Negara | Senators elected by State Legislative Assemblies and senators appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong |
| Presiding officers | Speaker (Dewan Rakyat); President (Dewan Negara) |
| Seat | Bangunan Parlimen, Kuala Lumpur |
What Parliament does
Parliament exercises the federal legislative power. Its three core functions are enacting federal law, authorising taxation and expenditure through the annual supply process, and scrutinising the executive through debate, questions, motions and select committees.
Its legislative competence is not unlimited. The Ninth Schedule to the Federal Constitution divides subject matter into a Federal List, a State List and a Concurrent List. Parliament legislates on the Federal and Concurrent Lists; State Legislative Assemblies legislate on the State and Concurrent Lists. Sabah and Sarawak have supplementary items reserved to them, which is why some subjects are handled differently in the Borneo states.
The two Houses
Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives). The elected chamber. Its 222 members each represent one federal constituency, numbered P001 through P222 on Parliament’s own register of members. The government of the day is formed from, and is accountable to, this House. Supply bills originate here.
Dewan Negara (Senate). The upper chamber. Under Article 45 of the Federal Constitution its membership combines senators elected by each State Legislative Assembly with senators appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Senators are not returned at a general election, which gives the chamber a membership cycle independent of the Dewan Rakyat’s.
How a bill becomes law
- A bill is introduced in one House — most government bills begin in the Dewan Rakyat.
- It is read, debated in committee, and voted on.
- It passes to the other House and goes through the same stages.
- Once passed by both Houses it is presented for royal assent.
- It is then gazetted as an Act of Parliament and takes effect on its commencement date, which is often later than the date of assent and is sometimes appointed by a separate instrument.
Money bills follow a distinct route: they originate in the Dewan Rakyat, and the Dewan Negara’s power in relation to them is constitutionally limited.
Term and dissolution
The Dewan Rakyat sits for a maximum term fixed by the Federal Constitution, after which it dissolves automatically and a general election must be held. It may also be dissolved earlier. The Dewan Negara is not dissolved with it.
Related knowledge
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 is held in draft pending human sign-off before
publication. Figures that could not be confirmed against an official source are
listed in verificationNeeded rather than published.
How many members sit in each House?
The Dewan Rakyat has 222 members, each elected from a single federal constituency numbered P001 to P222, as shown on Parliament's own list of members. The Dewan Negara is smaller and is composed under Article 45 of two senators elected by each State Legislative Assembly together with senators appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
How does a bill become an Act?
A bill is introduced, debated and voted on in one House, then sent to the other. Once passed by both Houses it is presented for royal assent, after which it is gazetted as an Act. Money bills follow a distinct route: they originate in the Dewan Rakyat, and the Dewan Negara's power over them is limited by the Constitution.
What is the difference between Parliament and a State Legislative Assembly?
They legislate on different subjects. The Ninth Schedule to the Federal Constitution divides legislative competence into a Federal List, a State List and a Concurrent List. Parliament legislates on the Federal and Concurrent Lists; a State Legislative Assembly legislates on the State and Concurrent Lists. Sabah and Sarawak have additional items reserved to them.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Confirm the current total membership of the Dewan Negara and the split between state-elected and appointed senators against Article 45 of the Federal Constitution and Parliament's own senator listing — the parlimen.gov.my senator pages returned an error page at the time of writing.
- Confirm the maximum term of the Dewan Rakyat in years against Article 55 of the Federal Constitution.
Sources
- List of Members — House of Representatives — Parliament of Malaysia
- Official Portal of the Parliament of Malaysia — Parliament of Malaysia
- Federal Constitution — Laws of Malaysia — Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 20 Jul 2026 | Approved and published. | — |