Prime Minister of Malaysia

Prime Minister of Malaysia
Perdana Menteri Malaysia ڤردان منتري مليسيا‎
Coat of arms of Malaysia
Emblem of the Prime Minister's Office
Incumbent Anwar Ibrahim since 24 November 2022
Government of Malaysia Prime Minister's Department
Style	Prime Minister (informal) Yang Amat Berhormat (formal) The Right Honourable (within the Commonwealth) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Type	Head of government
Member of	Cabinet Prime Minister's Department National Finance Council National Security Council House of Representatives
Reports to	Parliament
Residence	Seri Perdana, Putrajaya
Seat	Perdana Putra, Putrajaya
Appointer	Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Term length	Five years, renewable
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Malaysia
Inaugural holder	Tunku Abdul Rahman
Formation	31 August 1957 (1957-08-31)
Salary	RM22,826.65/US$ 5,106 per month
Website	www.pmo.gov.my

The prime minister of Malaysia (Malay: Perdana Menteri Malaysia; Jawi: ڤردان منتري مليسيا‎) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the federal government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister who is a member of Parliament (MP) who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs. The prime minister is usually the leader of the party winning the most seats in a general election.

After the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the chief minister of the Federation of Malaya, became the first prime minister of Malaysia.

Appointment

The prime minister's office at Perdana Putra, Putrajaya

According to the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall first appoint a prime minister to preside over the Cabinet. The prime minister is to be a member of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives), and who in his majesty's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House. This person must be a Malaysian citizen, but cannot have obtained their citizenship by means of naturalisation or registration. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall appoint other ministers from either the Dewan Rakyat or Dewan Negara (Senate) with the prime minister's advice.

The prime minister and his/her cabinet ministers must take and subscribe to the oath of office and allegiance as well as the oath of secrecy in the presence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong before they can exercise functions of office. The Cabinet is collectively accountable to the Parliament of Malaysia. The members of the Cabinet shall not hold any office of profit and engage in any trade, business or profession that will cause a conflict of interest. The Prime Minister's Department (sometimes referred to as the Prime Minister's Office) is the body and ministry in which the prime minister exercises his/her functions and powers.

In the case where a government cannot get its appropriation (budget) legislation passed by the House of Representatives, or when the House passes a vote of "no confidence" in the government, the prime minister is bound by convention to resign immediately. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's choice of replacement prime minister will be dictated by the circumstances. All other ministers shall continue to hold office by the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, unless if the appointment of any minister is revoked by his/her majesty upon the advice of the prime minister. Any minister may resign his/her office.

Following a resignation in other circumstances, defeat in an election, or the death of a prime minister, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would generally appoint as the new leader of the governing party or coalition as new Prime Minister.

Malaysia uses first-past-the-post-voting system, which means a party or coalition who gets 112 seats in lower house will lead the government.

Powers

See also: Malaysian federal budget

The power of the prime minister is subject to a number of limitations. Prime ministers removed as leader of his or her party, or whose government loses a vote of no confidence in the House of Representatives, must advise a new election of the lower house or resign the office. The defeat of a supply bill (one that concerns the spending of money) or unable to pass important policy-related legislation is seen to require the resignation of the government or dissolution of Parliament, much like a non-confidence vote, since a government that cannot spend money is hamstrung, also called loss of supply.

The prime minister's party will normally have a majority in the House of Representatives and party discipline is exceptionally strong in Malaysian politics, so passage of the government's legislation through the House of Representatives is mostly a formality.

Under the Constitution, the prime minister's role includes advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on:

• the appointment of the federal ministers (full members of cabinet);
• the appointment of the federal deputy ministers, parliamentary secretaries (non-full members of cabinet);
• the appointment of 44 out of 70 Senators in the Dewan Negara;
• the summoning and adjournment of sittings of the Dewan Rakyat;
• the appointment of judges of the superior courts (which are the High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Federal Court);
• the appointment of the attorney-general and the auditor-general; and
• the appointment of the chairmen and members of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, Election Commission, Police Force Commission, Education Service Commission, National Finance Council, and Armed Forces Council;

Under Article 39 of the Constitution, executive authority is vested in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. However, Article 40(1) states that in most cases, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is bound to exercise his powers on the advice of the Cabinet or a minister acting under the Cabinet's general authority. Thus, in practice, actual governing authority is vested in the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Acting prime minister

From time to time, prime ministers are required to leave the country on business and a deputy is appointed to take their place during that time. In the days before jet aeroplanes, such absences could be for extended periods. However, the position can be fully decided by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the king of Malaysia when the position remains empty following the sudden resignation or death of the prime minister.

Caretaker prime minister

Under Article 55(3) of Constitution of Malaysia, the lower house of Parliament, unless sooner dissolved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with his own discretion on the advice of the prime minister, shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. Article 55(4) of the Constitution permits a delay of 60 days in the holding of the general election from the date of dissolution and Parliament shall be summoned to meet on a date not later than 120 days from the date of dissolution. Conventionally, between the dissolution of one Parliament and the convening of the next, the prime minister and the cabinet remain in office in a caretaker capacity.

List of prime ministers of Malaysia

Colour key (for political coalitions/parties):

  Alliance Party (2)   Barisan Nasional (6)   Pakatan Harapan (2)   Perikatan Nasional (1)

#	Portrait	Prime Minister (Birth–Death) Constituency	Term of office			Mandate	Party		Government	Monarch(s)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		His Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman تونکو عبد الرحمن‎ (1903–1990) MP for Kuala Kedah	31 August 1957	22 September 1970	13 years, 23 days	1955		Alliance (UMNO)	Rahman I	Abdul Rahman Hisamuddin Putra Ismail Nasiruddin Abdul Halim
						1959			Rahman II
						1964			Rahman III
						1969			Rahman IV
2		Tun Haji Abdul Razak Hussein عبد الرزاق حسين‎ (1922–1976) MP for Pekan	22 September 1970	14 January 1976	5 years, 115 days	–		Alliance (UMNO)	Razak I	Abdul Halim Yahya Petra
						1974		BN (UMNO)	Razak II
3		Tun Hussein Onn حسين عون‎ (1922–1990) MP for Sri Gading	15 January 1976	16 July 1981	5 years, 183 days	–		BN (UMNO)	Hussein I	Yahya Petra Ahmad Shah
						1978			Hussein II
4		Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad محاضير محمد‎ (born 1925) MP for Kubang Pasu	16 July 1981	30 October 2003	22 years, 107 days	—		BN (UMNO)	Mahathir I	Ahmad Shah Iskandar Azlan Shah Ja'afar Salahuddin Sirajuddin
						1982			Mahathir II
						1986			Mahathir III
						1990			Mahathir IV
						1995			Mahathir V
						1999			Mahathir VI
5		Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi عبد الله أحمد بدوي‎ (1939–2025) MP for Kepala Batas	31 October 2003	3 April 2009	5 years, 155 days	—		BN (UMNO)	Abdullah I	Sirajuddin Mizan Zainal Abidin
						2004			Abdullah II
						2008			Abdullah III
6		Dato' Sri Haji Mohd. Najib Abdul Razak نجيب رزاق‎ (born 1953) MP for Pekan	3 April 2009	9 May 2018	9 years, 37 days	—		BN (UMNO)	Najib I	Mizan Zainal Abidin Abdul Halim Muhammad V
						2013			Najib II
7		Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad محاضير محمد‎ (born 1925) MP for Langkawi	10 May 2018	24 February 2020	1 year, 291 days	2018		PH (BERSATU)	Mahathir VII	Muhammad V Abdullah
During this interval, the incumbent Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad was the Interim Prime Minister. (24 February–1 March 2020)										Abdullah
8		Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Mohd. Yassin محيي الدين ياسين‎ (born 1947) MP for Pagoh	1 March 2020	16 August 2021	1 year, 169 days	—		PN (BERSATU)	Muhyiddin
During this interval, the incumbent Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin was the Caretaker Prime Minister. (16–21 August 2021)
9		Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob إسماعيل صبري يعقوب‎ (born 1960) MP for Bera	21 August 2021	24 November 2022	1 year, 96 days	—		BN (UMNO)	Ismail Sabri
10		Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim أنوار إبراهيم‎‎ (born 1947) MP for Tambun	24 November 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 158 days	(2022)		PH (PKR)	Anwar	Abdullah Ibrahim Iskandar

Timeline

List of acting prime ministers of Malaysia

Colour key (for political parties):

  Alliance Party   Barisan Nasional

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Notes	Political Party
		Abdul Razak Hussein (1922–1976)	19 August 1959	19 November 1959	Abdul Razak Hussein was the acting prime minister after the first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, stepped down as prime minister for three months in 1959 to strengthen his party, the Alliance for the 1959 federal elections after it had lost two states, Kelantan and Terengganu, in the state elections which at that time were held before the federal contest.	Alliance Party (UMNO)
		Ismail Abdul Rahman (1915–1973)	22 September 1970	22 September 1970	Ismail Abdul Rahman occasionally acted as acting prime minister when Tunku Abdul Rahman and Abdul Razak Hussein were on leave for going abroad.
		V. T. Sambanthan (1919–1979)	3 August 1973	13 August 1973	V. T. Sambanthan was called to serve as acting prime minister and chair the cabinet meeting for a day when the former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein was overseas and his deputy Ismail Abdul Rahman had died.	Alliance Party (MIC)
		Ling Liong Sik (b. 1943)	4 February 1988	16 February 1988	In 1988, when UMNO as the founding member of the Barisan Nasional coalition was declared unlawful and illegal political party, Mahathir Mohamad was disqualified as the Barisan Nasional chairman. Ling Liong Sik became the new chairman of the Barisan Nasional and served as an acting prime minister for a couple of days until the new party, UMNO Baru, was legalised by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).	Barisan Nasional (MCA)
		Anwar Ibrahim (b. 1947)	19 May 1997	19 July 1997	Anwar Ibrahim acted as an acting prime minister for two months started from 19 May 1997 as Mahathir Mohamad was on vacation.	Barisan Nasional (UMNO)

List of interim or caretaker prime ministers of Malaysia

Colour key (for political parties):

  Pakatan Harapan   Perikatan Nasional

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Notes	Political Party
		Mahathir Mohamad (b. 1925)	24 February 2020	1 March 2020	During the 2020 Malaysian political crisis, Mahathir Mohamad had been appointed as the interim prime minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong following the abrupt resignation of he himself as the 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia since he won the 14th General Election massively in 2018 while the Yang di-Pertuan Agong decided the appointment of Muhyiddin Yassin as the new 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia few days later. This position does not exist in any part of the laws of Malaysia. However, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong created this position to handle the situation during the crisis, based on his powers provided by the Federal Constitution.	Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU)
		Muhyiddin Yassin (b. 1947)	16 August 2021	21 August 2021	The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appointed him as the caretaker prime minister on 16 August 2021 based on his powers provided by the Federal Constitution. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong then decided to appoint Ismail Sabri as the 9th Prime Minister of Malaysia four days later. This position does not exist in any part of the laws of Malaysia. However, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong created this position to handle the situation during the crisis, based on his powers provided by the Federal Constitution.	Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU)

Living former prime ministers of Malaysia

Prime ministers are usually granted certain privileges after leaving office at government expense. Former prime ministers continue to be important national figures. The most recently deceased prime minister was Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (1939–2025), who died on 14 April 2025.

• Living former prime ministers
• 
  Mahathir Mohamad
  Served 1981–2003 and 2018–2020
  (age 99)
• 
  Najib Razak
  Served 2009–2018
  (age 71)
• 
  Muhyiddin Yassin
  Served 2020–2021
  (age 77)
• 
  Ismail Sabri Yaakob
  Served 2021–2022
  (age 65)

List of prime ministers by time in office

This is a list of prime minister of Malaysia by time in office. The listed number of days is calculated as the difference between dates, which counts the number of calendar days except the last day. The length of a full prime ministerial term of office usually varies according to when the two former and latter general elections are held. If the last day is included, all numbers would be one day more, except Mahathir Mohamad would have two more days, as he served two non-consecutive terms.

Of the individuals appointed prime minister of Malaysia, one died in office (Abdul Razak Hussein), five resigned from office (Tunku Abdul Rahman, Hussein Onn, Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Muhyiddin Yassin) and two lost reelection (Najib Razak and Ismail Sabri Yaakob).

Ismail Sabri Yaakob is spending the shortest time in office, while Mahathir spent the longest. Mahathir is the only Malaysian prime minister to have served more than three full terms.

Mahathir is the only prime minister to leave office and return for a second non-consecutive term. Consequently, while there have been 10 prime ministerships in the nation's history, only 9 people have been sworn into office as Mahathir is numbered as both the 4th and 7th prime minister.

• Longest and shortest prime ministerships
• 
  Longest prime ministership:
  Mahathir Mohamad
  8,805 days
  1981–2003 & 2018–2020
• 
  Shortest prime ministership:
  Ismail Sabri Yaakob
  460 days
  2021–2022

Rank	Prime minister	Length in days	Order of prime ministership	Number of terms
1	Mahathir Mohamad	8,805	4th • 16 July 1981 – 31 October 2003 7th • 10 May 2018 – 1 March 2020	One partial term (9 months, and 10 days) followed by four full terms and two non-consecutive partial terms (3 years, 11 months, and 2 days) and (1 year, 9 months, and 20 days)
2	Tunku Abdul Rahman	4,770	1st • 31 August 1957 – 22 September 1970	Three full terms followed by one partial term (4 months, 12 days)
3	Najib Razak	3,324	6th • 3 April 2009 – 10 May 2018	One partial term (4 years, 1 month, and 2 days) followed by one full term
4	Hussein Onn	2,009	3rd • 15 January 1976 – 16 July 1981	Two partial terms (2 years, 6 months, and 7 days) and (2 years, 11 months, and 24 days)
5	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi	1,981	5th • 31 October 2003 – 3 April 2009	One partial term (4 months, and 21 days) followed by one full term and one partial term (1 year, and 26 days)
6	Abdul Razak Hussein	1,940	2nd • 22 September 1970 – 14 January 1976	Two partial terms (3 years, 11 months, and 23 days) and (1 year, and 4 months)
7	Muhyiddin Yassin	538	8th • 1 March 2020 – 21 August 2021	One partial term (1 year, 5 months, and 20 days)
8	Ismail Sabri Yaakob	460	9th • 21 August 2021 – 24 November 2022	One partial term (1 year, 3 months, and 3 days)
9	Anwar Ibrahim	888	10th • 24 November 2022 – Incumbent	Currently serving

List of prime ministers by age

This is a list of prime ministers of Malaysia by age. The table charts the age of each prime minister of Malaysia at the time of prime ministerial inauguration (first inauguration if elected to multiple and consecutive terms), upon leaving office, and at the time of death. Where the prime minister is still living, their lifespan is calculated up to 30 April 2025.

The youngest person to assume the prime ministership was Abdul Razak Hussein, who, at the age of 48, succeeded to the office after the resignation of Tunku Abdul Rahman. The oldest person to assume the prime ministership was Mahathir Mohamad (as the 7th prime minister), who took the prime ministerial oath of office 62 days before turning 93.

Died at age 53, Abdul Razak was also the youngest prime minister at the end of his tenure, and his lifespan was the shortest of any prime minister. At age 59, Hussein Onn was the youngest person to become a former prime minister. The oldest prime minister at the end of his tenure was Mahathir (as the 7th prime minister) at 94. Mahathir was born before his two predecessors (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi & Najib Razak) (as the 7th prime minister).

Ismail Sabri Yaakob is having the shortest retirement of any prime minister, after leaving office at age 62. Tunku's retirement, 20 years, is the longest in Malaysian prime ministerial history. At age 99, Mahathir is also the oldest living prime minister as well as the nation's longest-lived prime minister. He is the only Malaysian prime minister to have lived into his 90s. The youngest living prime minister is Ismail Sabri Yaakob, age 65.

No.	Prime minister	Born	Age at start of prime ministership	Age at end of prime ministership	Post-prime ministership timespan	Lifespan
						Died	Age
1	Tunku Abdul Rahman	8 Feb 1903	54 years, 204 days 31 Aug 1957	67 years, 226 days 22 Sep 1970	20 years, 75 days	6 Dec 1990	87 years, 301 days
2	Abdul Razak Hussein	11 Mar 1922	48 years, 195 days 22 Sep 1970	53 years, 309 days 14 Jan 1976	0 days	2025-04-3014 Jan 1976	53 years, 309 days
3	Hussein Onn	12 Feb 1922	53 years, 337 days 15 Jan 1976	59 years, 154 days 16 Jul 1981	8 years, 317 days	29 May 1990	68 years, 106 days
4	Mahathir Mohamad	10 Jul 1925	56 years, 6 days 16 Jul 1981	78 years, 113 days 31 Oct 2003	14 years, 191 days	(Living)	99 years, 294 days
5	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi	26 Nov 1939	63 years, 339 days 31 Oct 2003	69 years, 128 days 3 Apr 2009	16 years, 27 days	2025-04-30(Living)	85 years, 155 days
6	Najib Razak	23 Jul 1953	55 years, 254 days 3 Apr 2009	64 years, 291 days 10 May 2018	6 years, 355 days	2025-04-30(Living)	71 years, 281 days
7	Mahathir Mohamad	10 Jul 1925	92 years, 304 days 10 May 2018	94 years, 235 days 1 Mar 2020	5 years, 60 days	2025-04-30(Living)	99 years, 294 days
8	Muhyiddin Yassin	15 May 1947	72 years, 291 days 1 Mar 2020	74 years, 98 days 21 Aug 2021	3 years, 252 days	2025-04-30(Living)	77 years, 350 days
9	Ismail Sabri Yaakob	18 Jan 1960	61 years, 215 days 21 Aug 2021	62 years, 310 days 24 Nov 2022	2 years, 157 days	2025-04-30(Living)	65 years, 102 days
10	Anwar Ibrahim	10 Aug 1947	75 years, 106 days 24 Nov 2022	(Incumbent)	(Incumbent)	2025-04-30(Living)	77 years, 263 days
#	Prime minister	Born	Age at start of prime ministership	Age at end of prime ministership	Post-prime ministership timespan	Died	Age

See also

• Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Air transports of heads of state and government
• Official state car
• Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Leader of the Opposition (Malaysia)
• Heads of state governments of Malaysia