List of political parties in Malaysia
Encyclopedia
This article lists political parties
in Malaysia. While enjoying regular elections and political stability, Malaysia's institutional systems and infrastructure generally provide for a one-party dominant state
in what has been described by observers as being a paradox of semi-authoritarian rule in a participatory political system that has brought about the development of a syncretic state.
and religious reform among the Muslim
Malay
communities similar to interest groups and civil society
organizations of today.
by Tahir Jalaluddin between 1906 to 1908, and al-Munir published in Penang
by Abdullah Ahmad between 1911 to 1916. These in turn were primarily influenced by the Egyptian Islamic reform magazine, al-Manar published in Cairo by Rashid Rida
from 1898 to 1936. While these publications were primarily concerned with the Islam
ic religion, it also touched extensively on the social, political and economic conditions of the Malays.
One of the first such movements was the New Hope Society that was established in Johor Bahru
in 1916. On September 14, 1923, a movement was established in Al-Azhar University
in Cairo
, Egypt
by students from British Malaya
and the Dutch East Indies
known as the Al-Jam'iyah Al-Khairiyah lit-tholabah Al-Azhariyah Al-Jawiyah (renamed in 1937 to the Indonesia Malaya Convention or Perhimpunan Indonesia Malaya; PERPINDOM). Composed primarily of students influenced by the Young Turks
movement and later the Muslim Brotherhood
, the movement encouraged intentional political and religious discourse through periodicals like Osman Abdullah's Seruan Al-Azhar (Al-Azhar Clarion) and Pilehan Timur (Oriental Choice).
was fertile ground for the exchange of ideas. The establishment of the Selangor Malay Teachers Association in 1921 by Muhammad Yusof paved the way for similar organizations to be set up in the other Federated Malay States
and a magazine known as Majalah Guru (Teacher's Magazine) was published in 1923. This magazine allowed for the discussion of larger socio-economic issues as well political issues, establishing itself as one of the influences in the development of Malay nationalism.
, Johor
and the Serikat Pembaikan Hidup organised by Mohamad Eunos Abdullah of the Singapore Malay Union established co-operatives and communes
to help improve the socio-economic conditions of the Malay peasants and smallholders. They too utilized newspapers and periodicals like the Maharani Company published Perjumpaan Melayu (Malay Convergence) to disseminate ideas and encourage discourse on issues pertaining to the social, political and economic conditions of the Malay people.
and a member of the Singapore Municipal Council. In his capacity as the chairman of the KMS, he became the first Malay member of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements
. One of the first issues championed by the KMS was the appeal for land to be set aside for a Malay settlement. The appeal was granted and a sum of $
700,000 was set aside for the KMS to purchase and develop the land. This settlement has evolved and is now part of the Eunos
neighbourhood in Singapore
.
The KMS also became the catalyst for the establishment of similar organizations in the other states of the British Malaya such as the Penang Malay Association (founded in 1927) and the Perak Malay Association (founded in 1937). People associated with the KMS included the first President of Singapore
, Yusof Ishak. The KMS survived World War II
and entered into a political coalition with the United Malays National Organisation
and the Malayan Chinese Association to form the Singapore Alliance Party
. It however eventually faded away with the electoral defeats of the Alliance in the 1955 legislative elections
in Singapore.
supervised by the Far Eastern Bureau of the Communist Party of China
in 1926. It was then known as the South Seas Communist Party. The fraternal Communist Party of Indonesia
(established in 1924) was by then underground or in exile due to their abortive revolt in 1926. This resulted in the CPM being almost exclusively dominated by people of Chinese
descent. Efforts to establish a broader based representation were made especially in the 1935 representative conferences between the CPM and the General Labour Union as well as the establishment of contact with Communist cells in Siam
and the Dutch East Indies
in 1936. Nonetheless, the CPM remained an organization that was predominantly Chinese in composition until the Japanese occupation of Malaya which saw a larger participation of people from other ethnicties.
in 1938 under the leadership of Ibrahim Yaacob. While registered as a social organization working to improve Malay youths in sports, education, agriculture, health and other recreational pursuits, the primary aim of the KMM was to struggle for the political independence of all the Malayan states from Britain and oppose British imperialism
. While gaining significant support from the larger Malay community, the KMM failed to gain support from the Malay aristocrats and bureaucracy and on the eve of the Japanese invasion of Malaya
, more than 100 KMM members were arrested by the authorities for collaboration.
All were released after the fall of Singapore in February 1942. On January 14, 1942, a KMM delegation led by vice-president, Mustapha Hussain, met with the Japanese authorities to negotiate for the independence of Malaya. The Japanese authorities instead disbanded KMM and established the Pembela Tanah Ayer (also known as the Malai Giyu Gun or by its Malay
acronym PETA) militia in its stead. Most who joined PETA were also part of the underground KMM Youth League who continued to struggle for an independent Malaya and some cooperated with the CPM sponsored Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army and other anti-Japanese guerilla units like Force 136
and Wataniah
.
With the surrender of Japan
in August 1945, former KMM cadres formed the nucleus of the emerging political movements like the Malay Nationalist Party, Angkatan Pemuda Insaf, and Angkatan Wanita Sedar ..
in more than one state
.
or the state Legislative Assemblies
, or have participated in elections within the last 10 years.
Note:
1. AKIM was later renamed as Malaysian People's Welfare Party (KITA) on December 13, 2010 by its new chairman,Datuk Zaid Ibrahim
.
2. PERSB application is yet to be approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS),causing them to contest as independents in 2011 Sarawak state election.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Malaysia. While enjoying regular elections and political stability, Malaysia's institutional systems and infrastructure generally provide for a one-party dominant state
Dominant-party system
A dominant-party system, or one-party dominant system, is a system where there is "a category of parties/political organizations that have successively won election victories and whose future defeat cannot be envisaged or is unlikely for the foreseeable future." A wide range of parties have been...
in what has been described by observers as being a paradox of semi-authoritarian rule in a participatory political system that has brought about the development of a syncretic state.
Early developments
Early organised political movements in Malaysia were organised along regional and ethnic groups and were not political parties in the modern sense. They generally were loose alliances of interest groups and individuals primarily concerned with social welfare, social progressSocial progress
Social progress is the idea that societies can or do improve in terms of their social, political, and economic structures. This may happen as a result of direct human action, as in social enterprise or through social activism, or as a natural part of sociocultural evolution...
and religious reform among the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Malay
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
communities similar to interest groups and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
organizations of today.
Religious reformers
Religious reformers played a large role in developing and disseminating ideas with magazines and periodicals like al-Imam published in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
by Tahir Jalaluddin between 1906 to 1908, and al-Munir published in Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
by Abdullah Ahmad between 1911 to 1916. These in turn were primarily influenced by the Egyptian Islamic reform magazine, al-Manar published in Cairo by Rashid Rida
Rashid Rida
Muhammad Rashid Rida is said to have been "one of the most influential scholars and jurists of his generation" and the "most prominent disciple of Muhammad Abduh"...
from 1898 to 1936. While these publications were primarily concerned with the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic religion, it also touched extensively on the social, political and economic conditions of the Malays.
One of the first such movements was the New Hope Society that was established in Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
in 1916. On September 14, 1923, a movement was established in Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
by students from British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
known as the Al-Jam'iyah Al-Khairiyah lit-tholabah Al-Azhariyah Al-Jawiyah (renamed in 1937 to the Indonesia Malaya Convention or Perhimpunan Indonesia Malaya; PERPINDOM). Composed primarily of students influenced by the Young Turks
Young Turks
The Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
movement and later the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
, the movement encouraged intentional political and religious discourse through periodicals like Osman Abdullah's Seruan Al-Azhar (Al-Azhar Clarion) and Pilehan Timur (Oriental Choice).
Teachers' unions
The Sultan Idris Training College for Malay teachers in Tanjung MalimTanjung Malim
Tanjung Malim is a town in the state of Perak, Malaysia. It is approximately north of Kuala Lumpur via the North-South Expressway. It lies on the Perak-Selangor state border, with Sungai Bernam serving as the natural divider....
was fertile ground for the exchange of ideas. The establishment of the Selangor Malay Teachers Association in 1921 by Muhammad Yusof paved the way for similar organizations to be set up in the other Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
and a magazine known as Majalah Guru (Teacher's Magazine) was published in 1923. This magazine allowed for the discussion of larger socio-economic issues as well political issues, establishing itself as one of the influences in the development of Malay nationalism.
Self-help societies
Various self-help societies like the Maharani Company in MuarMuar (town)
Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
, Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
and the Serikat Pembaikan Hidup organised by Mohamad Eunos Abdullah of the Singapore Malay Union established co-operatives and communes
Commune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
to help improve the socio-economic conditions of the Malay peasants and smallholders. They too utilized newspapers and periodicals like the Maharani Company published Perjumpaan Melayu (Malay Convergence) to disseminate ideas and encourage discourse on issues pertaining to the social, political and economic conditions of the Malay people.
Singapore Malay Union
The Singapore Malay Union was established in 1926 by Mohamad Eunos Abdullah, Tengku Kadir Ali and Embok Suloh with the aim of increasing the role of Malays in public life, upholding Malay interests with the colonial authorities, and promote higher and technical education for Malays. Eunos himself was a Justice of Peace, a member of the Muslim Advisory Board set up by the colonial administration during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and a member of the Singapore Municipal Council. In his capacity as the chairman of the KMS, he became the first Malay member of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements
Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements
The Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements was a legislature formed on April 1, 1867, when the Straits Settlements was made a crown colony...
. One of the first issues championed by the KMS was the appeal for land to be set aside for a Malay settlement. The appeal was granted and a sum of $
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1904 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.-History:...
700,000 was set aside for the KMS to purchase and develop the land. This settlement has evolved and is now part of the Eunos
Eunos, Singapore
Eunos is a neighbourhood in Singapore in the Paya Lebar urban planning area east of the Central Area. Eunos MRT Station serves this area.-Etymology and Early History:...
neighbourhood in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
The KMS also became the catalyst for the establishment of similar organizations in the other states of the British Malaya such as the Penang Malay Association (founded in 1927) and the Perak Malay Association (founded in 1937). People associated with the KMS included the first President of Singapore
President of Singapore
The President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore's head of state. In a Westminster parliamentary system, as which Singapore governs itself, the prime minister is the head of the government while the position of president is largely ceremonial. Before 1993, the President of Singapore was...
, Yusof Ishak. The KMS survived World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and entered into a political coalition with the United Malays National Organisation
United Malays National Organisation
The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....
and the Malayan Chinese Association to form the Singapore Alliance Party
Singapore Alliance Party
The Singapore Alliance Party, or sometimes known as just Singapore Alliance, was a coalition of political parties that contested several elections in Singapore, notably the 1955 Elections of Singapore and the 1963 Elections of Singapore that was heavily backed by the local chapter of the United...
. It however eventually faded away with the electoral defeats of the Alliance in the 1955 legislative elections
Singaporean general election, 1955
The 1955 Legislative Assembly General Elections was held in Singapore on 2 April 1955 to elect twenty-five elective seats on the Legislative Assembly...
in Singapore.
Communist Party of Malaya
The first political party to be organized with a pan-Malayan outlook was the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) established in 1930. The CPM was originally set up as a branch of the CominternComintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
supervised by the Far Eastern Bureau of the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
in 1926. It was then known as the South Seas Communist Party. The fraternal Communist Party of Indonesia
Communist Party of Indonesia
The Communist Party of Indonesia was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world prior to being crushed in 1965 and banned the following year.-Forerunners:...
(established in 1924) was by then underground or in exile due to their abortive revolt in 1926. This resulted in the CPM being almost exclusively dominated by people of Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
descent. Efforts to establish a broader based representation were made especially in the 1935 representative conferences between the CPM and the General Labour Union as well as the establishment of contact with Communist cells in Siam
Communist Party of Thailand
The Communist Party of Thailand - CPT was a Marxist-Leninist, Communist political party in Thailand, active from 1942 until the 1990s. Initially known as Communist Party of Siam the party was founded officially on the 1st of December 1942, although communist activism in the country began as early...
and the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
in 1936. Nonetheless, the CPM remained an organization that was predominantly Chinese in composition until the Japanese occupation of Malaya which saw a larger participation of people from other ethnicties.
Young Malay Union
The Young Malay Union was established in Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
in 1938 under the leadership of Ibrahim Yaacob. While registered as a social organization working to improve Malay youths in sports, education, agriculture, health and other recreational pursuits, the primary aim of the KMM was to struggle for the political independence of all the Malayan states from Britain and oppose British imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
. While gaining significant support from the larger Malay community, the KMM failed to gain support from the Malay aristocrats and bureaucracy and on the eve of the Japanese invasion of Malaya
Japanese Invasion of Malaya
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya, or Battle of Kota Bharu, began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor...
, more than 100 KMM members were arrested by the authorities for collaboration.
All were released after the fall of Singapore in February 1942. On January 14, 1942, a KMM delegation led by vice-president, Mustapha Hussain, met with the Japanese authorities to negotiate for the independence of Malaya. The Japanese authorities instead disbanded KMM and established the Pembela Tanah Ayer (also known as the Malai Giyu Gun or by its Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
acronym PETA) militia in its stead. Most who joined PETA were also part of the underground KMM Youth League who continued to struggle for an independent Malaya and some cooperated with the CPM sponsored Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army and other anti-Japanese guerilla units like Force 136
Force 136
Force 136 was the general cover name for a branch of the British World War II organization, the Special Operations Executive . The organisation was established to encourage and supply resistance movements in enemy-occupied territory, and occasionally mount clandestine sabotage operations...
and Wataniah
Rejimen Askar Wataniah
The Rejimen Askar Wataniah is the military reserve force of the Malaysian Army. An equivalent formation in the British Army would be the Territorial Army....
.
With the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
in August 1945, former KMM cadres formed the nucleus of the emerging political movements like the Malay Nationalist Party, Angkatan Pemuda Insaf, and Angkatan Wanita Sedar ..
Federal parties
Coalitions and parties that have a nationwide presence and participates in electionsElections in Malaysia
Elections in Malaysia exist at two levels: national level and state level. National level elections are those for membership in the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Parliament, while state level elections are for membership in the various State Legislative Assemblies...
in more than one state
States of Malaysia
Malaysia is a federation which consists of thirteen states and three federal territories . Eleven states and two federal territories are located on the Malay Peninsula while the remaining two states and one federal territory are on the island of Borneo.-The states and federal territories:Malaysia...
.
Major parties
For the purposes of this list, major parties denote coalitions and parties that have representation in the Parliament of MalaysiaParliament of Malaysia
The Parliament of Malaysia is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The King as the Head of State is the third component of Parliament....
or the state Legislative Assemblies
Dewan Undangan Negeri
A state legislative assembly is the legislature of each of the 13 Malaysian states. Members of a state legislative assembly comprises elected representatives from single-member constituencies during state elections through the first-past-the-post system....
, or have participated in elections within the last 10 years.
| Name in English | Name in Malay Malay language Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore... |
Acronym | Founded | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Front Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... United Malays National Organisation United Malays National Organisation The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence.... * Malaysian Chinese Association Malaysian Chinese Association Malaysian Chinese Association is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that represents the Malaysian Chinese ethnicity; it is one of the three major component parties of the ruling coalition in Malaysia called the Barisan Nasional in Malay, or National Front in English.Along with the largest... Malaysian Indian Congress Malaysian People's Movement Party People's Progressive Party People's Progressive Party (Malaysia) The People's Progressive Party is a political party in Malaysia.The party is one of the constituent members of the ruling National Front and is a multiracial party.-History:... United Bumiputera Heritage Party Sarawak United People's Party Sarawak United People's Party The Sarawak United Peoples' Party, or SUPP is a political party in Malaysia. The party is one of the constituent members of the ruling Barisan Nasional... Sabah United Party ** Liberal Democratic Party Liberal Democratic Party (Malaysia) The Liberal Democratic Party is a Chinese political party originally founded in the town of Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia by Hiew Min Kong in 1989.The party is considered a minor political party in Malaysia, having its base mainly in Sabah... United Sabah People's Party United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation is a political party based in Sabah, east Malaysia. It is an ethnically-based party striving to voice the rights and advance the development of Kadazan-Dusun and Murut population of Sabah and the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia.-History:The... Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party, or SPDP is a Sarawak based political party in Malaysia founded in 2002... Sarawak People's Party |
Barisan Nasional Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu Persatuan Cina Malaysia Kongres India Malaysia Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak Parti Bersatu Sabah Parti Liberal Demokratik Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah Pertubuhan Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Bersatu Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak Parti Rakyat Sarawak |
BN UMNO MCA MIC GERAKAN PPP PBB SUPP PBS LDP PBRS UPKO SPDP PRS |
1973 1988 1949 1946 1968 1953 1973 1959 1985 1988 1994 1994 2002 2004 |
http://www.bn2008.org.my http://www.umno-online.com/ http://www.mca.org.my/ http://www.mic.org.my/ http://www.gerakan.org.my/ http://www.ppp.org.my/malaysia/ http://www.bumiputerasarawak.org.my/ http://www.supp.org.my/ http://www.pbs-sabah.org/ http://www.upko.org.my/ |
| People's Pact Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.... People's Justice Party Democratic Action Party Islamic Party of Malaysia *** |
Pakatan Rakyat Parti Keadilan Rakyat Parti Tindakan Demokratik Parti Islam Se-Malaysia |
PR PKR DAP PAS |
2008 2003 1966 1955 |
http://www.keadilanrakyat.org/ http://www.dapmalaysia.org/ http://www.pas.org.my/ |
| Malaysian People's Party | Parti Rakyat Malaysia | PRM | 1955 | http://parti-rakyat.blogspot.com/ |
| Sarawak National Party Sarawak National Party Sarawak National Party known by its acronym as "SNAP", is a political party in Malaysia. It was a member party of Barisan Nasional since Sarawak joined Malaysia until 2004 when it was expelled from Barisan Nasional... **** |
Parti Kebangsaan Sarawak | SNAP | 1961 | http://www.sarawaknationalparty.org/ |
| Socialist Party of Malaysia | Parti Sosialis Malaysia | PSM | 1998 | http://www.parti-sosialis.org/ |
| Malaysian Democratic Party Malaysian Democratic Party The Malaysian Democratic Party was a political party in Malaysia formed by Wee Choo Keong in 1998, after he was expelled from Democratic Action Party due to his fall-out and failed revolt against then secretary-general Lim Kit Siang.... |
Parti Demokratik Malaysia | MDP | 1998 | |
| Sabah Progressive Party Sabah Progressive Party The Sabah Progressive Party is a political party based in Sabah, East Malaysia. It was registered on 21 January 1994 by dissidents led by former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee from Parti Bersatu Sabah . Formerly a component party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, SAPP officially... |
Parti Maju Sabah | SAPP | 1994 | http://www.sapp.org.my/ |
| * | UMNO, which was originally founded in 1946 was deregistered in 1988 and the Prime Minister of Malaysia formed a new party known as United Malays National Organisation (Baru) on February 16, 1988. The term "Baru" or "New" was removed by a constitutional amendment on July of the same year. |
| ** | The United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) was a member of Barisan Nasional from its establishment until its withdrawal from the coalition in 1990. The party rejoined the coalition in 2002. |
| *** | The Malaysian Islamic Party entered into a coalition with the former Alliance Party in 1972 and subsequently joined the Barisan Nasional coalition when it was founded in 1974. It withdrew from the coalition in 1977. |
| **** | The Sarawak National Party joined Perikatan in 1963 but was expelled in 1965, rejoined again the new Barisan Nasional coalition in 1976 but was expelled again from the coalition in 2004. SNAP joined Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.... on 20 April 2010. SNAP quits Pakatan Rakyat on 6 May 2011. |
Minor parties and other parties not represented in Parliament
| Name in English | Name in Malay Malay language Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore... |
Acronym | Symbol | Founded | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysian Ceylonese Congress Malaysian Ceylonese Congress The Malaysian Ceylonese Congress is a political party in Malaysia. Formed in 1958, the MCC was established as a political party with the aim of giving support to the then Alliance party. MCC has continuously supported the Barisan National. MCC was the brainchild of the late Mr... |
Parti Kongres Ceylonese Malaysia | MCC | 1958 | http://mcc.org.my | |
| Pan Malaysian Islamic Front Pan Malaysian Islamic Front The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Front is a political party in Malaysia.... |
Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia | BERJASA | 1977 | ||
| Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress is a political party formed in 1977 to represent the interests of the Indian Muslim community in Malaysia.-Hierarchy:* Chairman & President - Dato`Syed Ibrahim Bin Kader DPNS,DNS,AMN,JP... |
Kongres India Muslim Malaysia | KIMMA | 1977 | ||
| Malaysian Workers' Party Malaysian Workers' Party The Malaysian Worker's Party is a leftist political party in Malaysia.The party was founded in 1978 by Mrs Ganga Nayar, who unsuccessfully contested the Sungai Besi Parliamentary and Sungai Way State seats in the 5th Malaysian General Elections of 1978.-References:* . ... |
Parti Pekerja-Pekerja Malaysia | PPM | 1978 | ||
| Punjabi Party of Malaysia Punjabi Party of Malaysia The Punjabi Party of Malaysia is a Malaysian political party formed in 1986 to represent the interests of Malaysia's Punjabi community. It is not formally aligned with either of Malaysia's major political coalitions, but it has sought to join the governing Barisan Nasional.-See also:*List of... |
Parti Punjabi Malaysia | PPM | 1986 | ||
| All Malaysian Indian Progressive Front All Malaysian Indian Progressive Front The All Malaysian Indian Progressive Front , also known as the Indian Progressive Front , is a Malaysian political party formed as a splinter of the Malaysian Indian Congress by M.G. Pandithan. The party supports the Barisan Nasional coalition but it is not a member.-See also:*List of political... |
Barisan Kemajuan India Se-Malaysia | AMIPF | 1990 | ||
| Malaysian People's Justice Front Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia Malaysian People's Welfare Party or Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air is a political party in Malaysia. The party was formerly known as the Malaysian People Justice Front .... * |
Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia Malaysian People's Welfare Party or Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air is a political party in Malaysia. The party was formerly known as the Malaysian People Justice Front .... |
AKIM | 1995 | ||
| Malaysian Indian United Party | Parti Bersatu India Malaysia | MIUP | 2007 | ||
| Love Malaysia Party | Parti Cinta Malaysia Parti Cinta Malaysia Parti Cinta Malaysia is a Malaysian political party formed in 2009. Its members include former Gerakan vice-president and member of Parliament Huan Cheng Guan, and former Sarawak State Assembly member Gabriel Adit Demong. For the first time ever, the party contested the 2011 Sarawak state election... |
PCM | 2009 | ||
| Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party | Parti Makkal Sakti Malaysia | MMSP | 2009 | ||
| Human Rights Party Human Rights Party (Malaysia) The Human Rights Party Malaysia is a Malaysian human rights-based political party founded on 19 July 2009, led by human rights activist P.Uthayakumar... |
Parti Hak Asasi Human Rights Party (Malaysia) The Human Rights Party Malaysia is a Malaysian human rights-based political party founded on 19 July 2009, led by human rights activist P.Uthayakumar... |
HRP | 2009 | ||
| United Sarawak People's Economic Party Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Bersatu Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Bersatu or United Sarawak People's Economic Party is a Malaysian political party formed by a group of Jatropha curcas plantation owners in Sarawak under the Projek Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak .PERSB has filed their application to the Registrar of Societies on 2010,and up... ** |
Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Bersatu | PERSB | 2010 |
| * | The Punjabi Party of Malaysia was established in 1986 but only registered with the Elections Commission in 2003. |
Note:
1. AKIM was later renamed as Malaysian People's Welfare Party (KITA) on December 13, 2010 by its new chairman,Datuk Zaid Ibrahim
Zaid Ibrahim
Dato' Mohd Zaid Ibrahim is a prominent Malaysian lawyer turned politician and is a former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform...
.
2. PERSB application is yet to be approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS),causing them to contest as independents in 2011 Sarawak state election.
Regional parties
Coalitions and parties that have a nationwide presence and participates in elections in only one state.| Name in English | Name in Malay Malay language Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore... |
Acronym | Symbol | Founded | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Coalition Congress | Kongres Penyatuan Masyarakat | CCC | 1988 | ||
| Federated Sabah People's Front | Barisan Rakyat Sabah Bersekutu | BERSEKUTU | — | ||
| Malaysian People's Justice Front Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia Malaysian People's Welfare Party or Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air is a political party in Malaysia. The party was formerly known as the Malaysian People Justice Front .... |
Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia | AKIM | — | ||
| United Democratic Sabah People's Power Party | Parti Demokratik Setiahati Kuasa Rakyat Bersatu Sabah | SETIA | — | ||
| United Pasok Nunukragang National Organisation United Pasok Nunukragang National Organisation The United Pasok Nunukragang National Organisation is a regional political party in Malaysia based in the state of Sabah. It was established in 1978. Before its deregistration, it was the oldest political party in Sabah that was currently still in existence... |
Persatuan Kebangsaan Pasok Nunukragang Bersatu | PASOK |  |
1978 | http://pasokranau.googlepages.com/ |
| State Reform Party | Parti Reformasi Negeri | STAR | 1996 | http://partistar.wordpress.com/ |
| ** | The Malaysian Dayak Congress was organised in 2005 but has failed to obtain registration as a society to date. Candidates of the MDC have participated in elections as Independents or on other party's tickets. |
Coalition
Past and present coalition and allince pact of political parties in Malaysia and former Malaya.| Name in English | Name in Malay Malay language Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore... |
Acronym | Symbol | Founded | Dissolved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Front Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... |
Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... |
BN | 1973 | ||
| Peoples's Pact Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.... |
Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level.... |
PR |   |
2008 | |
| Alternative Front Barisan Alternatif Barisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional... |
Barisan Alternatif Barisan Alternatif Barisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional... |
BA | |
1998 | 2008 |
| Ummah Unity Front | Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah | APU | 1989 | 1996 | |
| People's Might | Gagasan Rakyat | GAGASAN | 1989 | ||
| Alliance | Perikatan | ALLIANCE PERIKATAN |
 |
1951 | 1973 |
Unregistered parties
Parties which are not registered, either in the process of registering, or registration application rejected or remain an unregistered political movement.| Name in English | Name in Malay Malay language Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore... |
Acronym | Symbol | Founded | Dissolved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international Sunni. pan-Islamic political organisation but keeps it open for all including shias,some of its beliefs are against sunni school of thought, whose goal is for all Muslim countries to unify as an Islamic state or caliphate ruled by Islamic law and with a caliph... * |
Hizb ut-Tahrir | HT |  |
(1953) | http://www.mykhilafah.com |
| Malaysian Dayak Congress Malaysian Dayak Congress Malaysian Dayak Congress is a political party in Malaysia representing the Dayak indigenous population. It is based in Sarawak state and is formed by supporters of the deregistered Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak... ** |
Kongres Dayak Malaysia | MDC | (2005) | — | |
| National Student's Party*** | Parti Mahasiswa Negara | PMN | (2008) | — | |
| Malaysian Indian Democratic Action Front**** | Barisan Bertindak Demokratik India Malaysia | MINDRAF | (2009) | — | |
| * | The Hizb ut-Tahrir is a international political movement with a branch in Malaysia. |
| ** | The Malaysian Dayak Congress was organised in 2005 but has failed to obtain registration as a society to date. Candidates of the MDC have participated in elections as Independents or on other party's tickets. |
| *** | The National Student's Party was set up by a group university student but faced legal obstacle in registering for contravening the University and University College Act (UUCA). |
| **** | MINDRAF setup has been inactive since the formation of HINDRAF HINDRAF HINDRAF or Hindu Rights Action Force ; Chinese:兴权 with its slogan of People's Power மக்கள் சக்தி ) began as a coalition of 30 Hindu non-governmental organizations committed to the preservation of Hindu community rights and heritage in a multiracial Malaysia... P. Uthayakumar's Human Right Party Human Rights Party (Malaysia) The Human Rights Party Malaysia is a Malaysian human rights-based political party founded on 19 July 2009, led by human rights activist P.Uthayakumar... (HRP). |
Historic or defunct parties
This list is sorted by the year in which the respective parties were established.| Name in English | Name in Malay Malay language Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore... |
Acronym | Symbol | Founded | Dissolved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communist Party of Malaya * | Parti Komunis Malaya | CPM |  |
1930 | 1989 |
| Malay Nationalist Party | Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya | PKMM | 1945 | 1950 | |
| Malayan Democratic Union | — | MDU | 1945 | 1948 | |
| United Malays National Organisation United Malays National Organisation The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence.... |
Persatuan Kebangsaan Melayu Bersatu | UMNO | 1946 | 1988 | |
| Hizbul Muslimin | Hizbul Muslimin | — | 1948 | 1948 | |
| Alliance Party Alliance Party (Malaya) The Alliance Party was a political coalition in Malaysia. Formed in 1951, it successfully gained the majority of seats available for contest in the first election for the Federal Legislative Council held in 1955 in what was then the British protectorate of the Federation of Malaya.The Alliance... ** |
Parti Perikatan | — | |
1951 | 1974 |
| Radical Party (Malaya) | — | — | 1951 | 1952 | |
| Independence of Malaya Party Independence of Malaya Party The Independence of Malaya Party was a political party in British-ruled Malaya that stood for political independence. Founded by Onn Ja'afar after he left UMNO in 1951, it opposed the UMNO policy of Malay supremacy.... |
Parti Kemerdekaan Malaya | IMP | 1951 | 1954 | |
| National Association of Perak | Parti Kebangsaan Perak | NAP | 1953 | 1957 | |
| National Party Parti Negara Parti Negara was a Malay-based political party which was formed by former leaders of the Independence of Malaya Party in 1953, and formally launched in February 1954... |
Parti Negara | — | 1953 | 1962 | |
| Labour Party of Malaya Labour Party of Malaya The Labour Party of Malaya was a political party of Malaya that was active between 1952 to 1969. It was originally formed as a confederation of state based labour parties known as the Pan-Malayan Labour Party or PMFP.-Origins:... |
Parti Buruh Malaya | LPM |  |
1954 | 1969 |
| Malayan Socialist Youth League | — | — | 1956 | 1958 | |
| Malayan Party | Parti Malaya | — | 1956 | 1964 | |
| National Party of Sarawak | Parti Negara Sarawak | PANAS | 1960 | 1968 | |
| United National Kadazan Organisation | Parti Kebangsaan Kadazan Bersatu | UNKO | 1961 | 1964 | |
| United Sabah National Organisation | Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Sabah Bersatu | USNO | 1961 | 1991 | |
| Sarawak Native People's Front | Barisan Rakyat Jati Sarawak | BARJASA | 1961 | 1968 | |
| United Pasok Momogun Organisation | Pertubuhan Bersatu Pasok Momogun | — | 1962 | 1964 | |
| Sarawak Chinese Association | Persatuan Cina Sarawak | SCA | 1962 | — | |
| Sarawak Native's Heritage Party | Parti Pesaka Anak Sarawak | PESAKA | 1962 | 1973 | |
| Sabah Chinese Association | Persatuan Cina Sabah | SCA | 1962 | 1979 | |
| United Democratic Party | Parti Demokratik Bersatu | UDP | 1962 | 1967 | |
| National Convention Party | Parti Perhimpunan Kebangsaan | PPK | 1963 | 1965 | |
| MACHINDA Party | Parti MACHINDA | MACHINDA | 1964 | — | |
| United Pasok-Momogun Kadazan Organisation | Pertubuhan Bersatu Pasok-Momogun Kadazan | UPKO | 1964 | 1967 | |
| Sabah Indian Congress | Kongres India Sabah | SIC | 1964 | — | |
| Bumiputera Party | Parti Bumiputera | — | 1967 | 1973 | |
| Marhaen Party | Parti Marhaen | — | 1968 | 1974 | |
| Communist Party of Malaya (Revolutionary Faction) Communist Party of Malaya/Revolutionary Faction Communist Party of Malaya/Revolutionary Faction is a splinter group of the Communist Party of Malaya. The CPM/RF was engaged in armed struggle.... * |
Parti Komunis Malaya (Puak Revolusioner) | CPM-RF | |
1970 | — |
| Social Justice Party (Malaysia) | Parti Keadilan Masyarakat Malaysia | PEKEMAS | 1971 | 1979 | |
| North Kalimantan Communist Party North Kalimantan Communist Party North Kalimantan Communist Party was a communist political party based in the Malaysian province of Sarawak in northern Borneo. It was founded on September 19, 1971. Before that, the group had been operating under the name Sarawak Communist Organization. The chairman of the NKCP was Wen Min Chyuan... **** |
Parti Komunis Kalimantan Utara | NKCP | |
1971 | 1990 |
| Communist Party of Malaya (Marxist-Leninist) Communist Party of Malaya/Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Malaya/Marxist-Leninist, a splinter-group of Communist Party of Malaya. CPM/ML was formed in 1970. It conducted armed struggle against the regime, with bases in Southern Thailand. CPM/ML had a radio broadcast, called Suara Seorang Malaysia .... * |
Parti Komunis Malaya (Marxis-Leninis) | CPM-ML | |
1974 | — |
| Independent People's Progressive Party | — | — | 1974 | — | |
| Homeland Consciousness Union | Kesatuan Insaf Tanah Air | KITA | 1974 | — | |
| Sarawak People's National Party | Parti Negara Rakyat Sarawak | — | 1974 | — | |
| Sabah People's United Front | Parti Bersatu Rakyat Jelata Sabah | BERJAYA | 1975 | — | |
| Social Democratic Party | Parti Sosial Demokratik | SDP | 1978 | — | |
| Sarawak Native's Party | Parti Anak Jati Sarawak | PAJAR | 1978 | 1978 | |
| Sarawak United Democratic Party | Parti Sarawak Demokratik Bersatu | BERSATU | 1978 | — | |
| Muslim People's Party of Malaysia | Parti Hizbul Muslimin Malaysia | HAMIM | 1983 | — | |
| Sarawak Native People's Party Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak The Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak is a political party in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.It was established in 1983,by Datuk Amar Dr.Leo Moggie,after secedes from Sarawak National Party .... |
Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak | PBDS | 1983 | 2004 | |
| Sarawak United Labour Party | Parti Buruh Bersatu Sarawak | — | 1983 | — | |
| Sarawak United Bumiputera People's Party | Parti Bersatu Rakyat Bumiputera Sabah | BERSEPADU | 1984 | — | |
| Nationalist Party of Malaysia | Parti Nasionalis Malaysia | NASMA | 1985 | — | |
| Democratic Malaysian Indian Party | Parti Demokratik India Malaysia | DMIP | 1985 | 1997 | |
| Sabah Chinese Party | Parti Cina Sabah | SCP | 1986 | — | |
| Malaysian Solidarity Party | Parti Solidariti Malaysia | MSP | 1986 | — | |
| Sarawak Malaysian People's Association Sarawak Malaysian People's Association Sarawak Malaysian People's Association or Persatuan Rakyat Malaysia Sarawak is now a defunct Malaysian political party based in Sarawak.The party itself was formed in 1987,during the infamous "Ming Court Affair",by a faction dissatisfied with the Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud,led by none other... |
Persatuan Rakyat Malaysia Sarawak | PERMAS | 1987 | 1991 | |
| Spirit of 46 Malay Party | Parti Melayu Semangat 46 | S46 | | 1989 | 1996 |
| Sabah People's Party | Parti Rakyat Sabah | 1989 | 1991 | ||
| People's Justice Front | Angkatan Keadilan Rakyat | AKAR | 1989 | 2001 | |
| United Action Party | Parti Tindakan Bersatu | 1990 | — | ||
| Muslim Community Union of Malaysia Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia or Muslim Community Union of Malaysia was a minor Islamic political party formed in 1991 and based in Terengganu.... ***** |
Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia | IKATAN | 1991 | 1999 |
| * | The Communist Party of Malaya operated legally from 1945-1948. After it was banned, the party went underground to conduct an armed rebellion. In 1970, the former 8th Regiment of the Malayan National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the CPM, broke away to form the Maoist CPM (Revolutionary Faction). In 1974, a third split occurred among cadres who wanted the CPM to end its ideological opposition to the larger Malaysian federation and formed the CPM (Marxist Leninist). |
| ** | The Alliance Party was expanded to include other component parties beyond the original 3, UMNO, MCA and MIC, and renamed the National Front (Barisan Nasional) |
| *** | The Malayan Ceylonese Congress never participated in any election and later evolved into a civic organization as the Malaysian Ceylonese Congress. |
| **** | The North Kalimantan Communist Party never operated as a legal political entity. |
| ***** | The constitution of the party was amended to change the name of the party to the National Justice Party (keADILan). This entity subsequently was renamed the People's Justice Party (PKR). |