Malaysia vs. Indonesia
Government
| Malaysia | Indonesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia local long form: none local short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaya etymology: the name means "Land of the Malays" | conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies etymology: the name is an 18th-century construct of two Greek words, "Indos" (India) and "nesoi" (islands), meaning "Indian islands" |
| Government type | federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy note: all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka (Malacca) and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls) | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Kuala Lumpur; note - nearby Putrajaya is referred to as a federal government administrative center but not the capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the Malay word for "river junction or estuary" is "kuala" and "lumpur" means "mud"; together the words render the meaning of "muddy confluence" | name: Jakarta geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 49 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) note: Indonesia has three time zones etymology: "Jakarta" derives from the Sanscrit "Jayakarta" meaning "victorious city" and refers to a successful defeat and expulsion of the Portuguese in 1527; previously the port had been named "Sunda Kelapa" |
| Administrative divisions | 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with 3 components, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya | 31 provinces (provinsi-provinsi, singular - provinsi), 1 autonomous province*, 1 special region** (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 national capital district*** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta***, Jambi, Jawa Barat (West Java), Jawa Tengah (Central Java), Jawa Timur (East Java), Kalimantan Barat (West Kalimantan), Kalimantan Selatan (South Kalimantan), Kalimantan Tengah (Central Kalimantan), Kalimantan Timur (East Kalimantan), Kalimantan Utara (North Kalimantan), Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (Bangka Belitung Islands), Kepulauan Riau (Riau Islands), Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara (North Maluku), Nusa Tenggara Barat (West Nusa Tenggara), Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara), Papua, Papua Barat (West Papua), Riau, Sulawesi Barat (West Sulawesi), Sulawesi Selatan (South Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tengah (Central Sulawesi), Sulawesi Tenggara (Southeast Sulawesi), Sulawesi Utara (North Sulawesi), Sumatera Barat (West Sumatra), Sumatera Selatan (South Sumatra), Sumatera Utara (North Sumatra), Yogyakarta** note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, regencies and municipalities have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services |
| Independence | 31 August 1957 (from the UK) | 17 August 1945 (declared independence from the Netherlands) |
| National holiday | Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia) | Independence Day, 17 August (1945) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957 amendments: proposed as a bill by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill's second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal; amended many times, last in 2019 | history: drafted July to August 1945, effective 18 August 1945, abrogated by 1949 and 1950 constitutions; 1945 constitution restored 5 July 1959 amendments: proposed by the People's Consultative Assembly, with at least two thirds of its members present; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the unitary form of the state cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2002 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Court at request of supreme head of the federation | civil law system based on the Roman-Dutch model and influenced by customary law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal (2019) | 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age |
| Executive branch | chief of state: King Sultan ABDULLAH Sultan Ahmad Shah (since 24 January 2019); note - King MUHAMMAD V (formerly known as Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra) (selected on 14 October 2016; installed on 13 December 2016) resigned on 6 January 2019; the position of the king is primarily ceremonial, but he is the final arbiter on the appointment of the prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Ismail SABRI Yaakob (since 21 August 2021); note - Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin resigned on 16 August 2021 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king; note - cabinet dissolved 24 February 2020 with Prime Minister MAHATHIR resignation elections/appointments: king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 24 January 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister | chief of state: President Joko WIDODO (since 20 October 2014, reelected 17 April 2019, inauguration 19 October 2019); Vice President Ma'ruf AMIN (since 20 October 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government (2019) head of government: President Joko WIDODO (since 20 October 2014); Vice President Ma'ruf AMIN (since 20 October 2019) (2019) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 April 2019 (next election 2024) election results: Joko WIDODO elected president; percent of vote - Joko WIDODO (PDI-P) 55.5%, PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (GERINDRA) 44.5% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament of Malaysia or Parlimen Malaysia consists of: Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms) House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019) elections: Senate - appointed House of Representatives - last held on 9 May 2018 (next to be held no later than May 2023) election results: Senate - appointed; composition - men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition - PH 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, USA 1, independent 3; composition - men 199, women 23, percent of women 10.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.8% note: as of 16 November 2019, seats by party - PH 129, BN 41, GS 18, GPS 18, WARISAN 9, GBS 3, UPKO 1, PSB 1, independent 1, vacant 1 | description: bicameral People's Consultative Assembly or Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat consists of: Regional Representative Council or Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (136 seats; non-partisan members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 4 each from the country's 34 electoral districts - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the Regional Representative Council has no legislative authority House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (575 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019) elections: Regional Representative Council - last held 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024) House of Representatives - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024) (2019) election results: Regional Representative Council - all seats elected on a non-partisan basis; compostion - NA House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDI-P 19.3%, Gerindra 12.6%, Golkar 12.3%, PKB 9.7%, Nasdem 9.1%, PKS 8.2%, PD 7.8%, PAN 6.8%, PPP 4.5%, other 9.6%; seats by party - PDI-P 128, Golkar 85, Gerindra 78, Nasdem 59, PKB 58, PD 54, PKS 50, PAN 44, PPP 19; composition - men 475, women 100, percent of women 17.9%; total People's Consultative Assembly percent of women NA (2019) |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Federal Court (consists of the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court of Malaya, chief judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak, 8 judges, and 1 "additional" judge); note - Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts judge selection and term of office: Federal Court justices appointed by the monarch on advice of the prime minister; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 66 with the possibility of a single 6-month extension subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court | highest courts: Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (51 judges divided into 8 chambers); Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by Judicial Commission, appointed by president with concurrence of parliament; judges serve until retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by president, 3 by Supreme Court, and 3 by parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: High Courts of Appeal, district courts, religious courts |
| Political parties and leaders | National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN: Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LIOW Tiong Lai] Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. SUBRAMANIAM] United Malays National Organization or UMNO [Zahid HAMID] (Formerly - Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH (formerly the People's Alliance, before former PM MAHATHIR resigns 24 February 2020): Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai] Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note - former PM MAHATHIR steps down 24 Feb 2020] National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU] People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim] Coalition Perikatan Nasional or PN, after Pakatan Harapan or PH coalition fell apart 24 February 2020 Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note - former PM MAHATHIR steps down 24 Feb 2020] United Malays National Organization or UMNO [Zahid HAMID] People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim] Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang] Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai] National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU]
| Democrat Party or PD [Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO] Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Airlangga HARTARTO] Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo] Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri] National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR] National Democratic Party or NasDem [Surya PALOH] National Mandate Party or PAN [Zulkifli HASAN] Party of the Functional Groups or Golkar [Airlangga HARTARTO] People's Conscience Party or HANURA [Oesman Sapta ODANG] Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Muhammad Sohibul IMAN] United Development Party or PPP [Muhammad ROMAHURMUZIY] (2019) |
| International organization participation | ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-11, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IORA, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, MSG (associate member), NAM, OECD (enhanced engagement), OIC, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: (vacant) chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700 FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882 email address and website: mwwashington@kln.gov.my https://www.kln.gov.my/web/usa_washington/home consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Iwan Freddy Hari SUSANTO, Minister (since 1 April 2021) chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 email address and website: http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/ consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Brian D. McFeeters (since 26 February 2021) embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: 4210 Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC 20521-4210 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207 email address and website: KLACS@state.gov https://my.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Sung Y. KIM (since 21 October 2020) embassy: Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 3-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: 8200 Jakarta Place, Washington DC 8200 telephone: [62] (21) 5083-1000 (2020) FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189 (2018) email address and website: jakartaacs@state.gov https://id.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Surabaya consulate(s): Medan |
| Flag description | 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers note: the design is based on the flag of the US | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; the colors derive from the banner of the Majapahit Empire of the 13th-15th centuries; red symbolizes courage, white represents purity note: similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red |
| National anthem | name: "Negaraku" (My Country) lyrics/music: collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER note: adopted 1957; full version only performed in the presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled "La Rosalie," was originally the anthem of Perak, one of Malaysia's 13 states | name: "Indonesia Raya" (Great Indonesia) lyrics/music: Wage Rudolf SOEPRATMAN note: adopted 1945 |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | tiger, hibiscus; national colors: gold, black | garuda (mythical bird); national colors: red, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malaysia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 out 12 years preceding application | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Indonesia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 continuous years |
Source: CIA Factbook
