1. Electoral Structure: Malaysia follows a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy system. The country is divided into 13 states and three federal territories. Elections are held at the national level to elect representatives to the Parliament of Malaysia.
2. Parliament of Malaysia: The Parliament of Malaysia consists of two houses – the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) and the Dewan Negara (Senate).
3. Dewan Rakyat: The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament. It has 222 members, known as Members of Parliament (MPs). Each MP represents a single-member constituency and is elected through a first-past-the-post voting system. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes in a constituency wins the seat.
4. Dewan Negara: The Dewan Negara is the upper house of the Parliament. It has 70 members, known as Senators. Senators are appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Conference of Rulers.
5. Voting System: The general election in Malaysia uses a first-past-the-post voting system. Each voter casts a vote for a candidate in their constituency, and the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected as the Member of Parliament for that constituency.
6. Election Timing: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has the authority to dissolve the Dewan Rakyat and call for new elections. The regular term for the Dewan Rakyat is five years, but elections can be called earlier if the Prime Minister advises the King to dissolve the Parliament.
7. Election Commission of Malaysia: The Election Commission of Malaysia is responsible for managing and conducting elections in the country. It oversees the registration of voters, delineation of electoral boundaries, candidate nominations, and the administration of elections.
8. Voter Eligibility: To be eligible to vote in national elections in Malaysia, a person must be a Malaysian citizen and at least 21 years old. Voters must be registered on the electoral roll.
