Singapore vs. Malaysia
Government
| Singapore | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore local long form: Republic of Singapore local short form: Singapore etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words "simha" (lion) and "pura" (city) to describe the city-state's leonine symbol | 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" |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | 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) |
| Capital | name: Singapore geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words "simha" (lion) and "pura" (city), thus creating the city's epithet "lion city" | 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" |
| Administrative divisions | no first order administrative divisions; there are five community development councils: Central Singapore Development Council, North East Development Council, North West Development Council, South East Development Council, South West Development Council (2019) | 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 |
| Independence | 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation) | 31 August 1957 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | National Day, 9 August (1965) | Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965 amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in the second and third readings by the elected Parliament membership and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting sovereignty or control of the Police Force or the Armed Forces requires at least two-thirds majority vote in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2020 | 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 |
| Legal system | English common law | 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 |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal (2019) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President HALIMAH Yacob (since 14 September 2017); note - President TAN's term ended on 31 August 2017; HALIMAH is Singapore's first female president; the head of the Council of Presidential Advisors, J.Y. PILLAY, served as acting president until HALIMAH was sworn in as president on 14 September 2017 head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004, reelected 10 July 2020); Deputy Prime Ministers HENG Swee Keat (since 1 May 2019) (2019) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; Cabinet responsible to Parliament elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a fixed term of 6-years (there are no term limits); election last held on 13 September 2017 (next to be held in 2023); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: HALIMAH Yacob was declared president on 13 September 2017, being the only eligible candidate; Tony TAN Keng Yam elected president in the previous contested election on 27 August 2011; percent of vote - Tony TAN Keng Yam (independent) 35.2% , TAN Cheng Bock (independent) 34.9%, TAN Jee Say (independent) 25%, TAN Kin Lian (independent) 4.9% | 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 |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament (104 seats; 93 members directly elected by popular vote, up to 9 nominated by a parliamentary selection committee and appointed by the president, and up to 12 non-constituency members from opposition parties to ensure political diversity; members serve 5-year terms); note - the number of nominated members will increase to 12 for the 2020 election for the first time (2020) elections: last held on 10 July 2020 (next must be held by 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 61.2%, WP 11.2%, PSP 10.2%; seats by party - PAP 83, WP 10, PSP 2; composition - men 79, women 25, percent of women 24% | 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 |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (although the number of judges varies - as of April 2019, the court totaled 20 judges, 7 judicial commissioners, 4 judges of appeal, and 16 international judges); the court is organized into an upper tier Appeal Court and a lower tier High Court judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidates recommended by the prime minister after consultation with the chief justice; judges usually serve until retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended subordinate courts: district, magistrates', juvenile, family, community, and coroners' courts; small claims tribunals; employment claims tribunals | 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 |
| Political parties and leaders | National Solidarity Party or NSP [Reno FONG] People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong] People's Power Party or (PPP) [Goh Meng SENG] People's Voice or PV [Lim TEAN] Progress Singapore Party or PSP [Tan Cheng Bock] Red Dot United or RDU [Ravi PHILEMON] Reform Party or RP [Kenneth JEYARETNAM] Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [Abu MOHAMED] Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [Dr. CHEE Soon Juan] Singapore People's Party or SPP [Steve Chia] Workers' Party or WP [Pritam SINGH] (2020) | 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]
|
| International organization participation | ADB, AOSIS, APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | 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 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Ashok KUMAR Mirpuri (since 30 July 2012) chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 email address and website: singemb_was@mfa.sg https://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/ consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York | 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 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Rafik MANSOUR (since July 2019) embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: 4280 Singapore Place, Washington DC 20521-4280 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340 email address and website: singaporeusembassy@state.gov https://sg.usembassy.gov/ | 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/ |
| Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle; red denotes brotherhood and equality; white signifies purity and virtue; the waxing crescent moon symbolizes a young nation on the ascendancy; the five stars represent the nation's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality | 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 |
| National anthem | name: "Majulah Singapura" (Onward Singapore) lyrics/music: ZUBIR Said note: adopted 1965; first performed in 1958 at the Victoria Theatre, the anthem is sung only in Malay | 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 |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC (2019) | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | lion, merlion (mythical half lion-half fish creature), orchid; national colors: red, white | tiger, hibiscus; national colors: gold, black |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Singapore dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years | 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 |
Source: CIA Factbook
