Prime Minister of Malaysia

Appointment

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 must have 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 their 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 their 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 no confidence vote 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 their majesty upon the advice of the prime minister. Any minister may resign their 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 a first-past-the-post-voting system, which means a party or coalition will lead a government if they manage to gain 112 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.

Powers

The power of the prime minister is subject to a number of limitations. Prime ministers removed as leader of their 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;

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)

List of acting prime ministers of Malaysia

Colour key (for political parties):

Alliance Party Barisan Nasional

List of interim or caretaker prime ministers of Malaysia

Colour key (for political parties):

Pakatan Harapan

Perikatan Nasional

Barisan Nasional

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 (Mohammad Najib Abdul 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.

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 8 September 2026.

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 & Mohammad Najib Abdul 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 101, 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 66.

Living former prime ministers

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 the late prime minister was Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (1939–2025), who died on 14 April 2025.