The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Southeast Asia
Judicial branch Malaysia, in 36 editions.
The entry for Malaysia published Judicial branch in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 14 editions. Each is shown as published. Judicial branch in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 14
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Judicial branch” (1990 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024The same text in 1990 and 1991.
- Supreme Court Chief of State--Paramount Ruler AZLAN Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Sultan Yusof Izzudin (since 26 April 1989);
- Deputy Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1989);
- Head of Government--Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981);
- Deputy Prime Minister Abdul GHAFAR Baba (since 7 May 1986)
Supreme Court Chief of State--Paramount Ruler AZLAN Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Sultan Yusof Izzudin (since 26 April 1989); Deputy Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1989); Head of Government--Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister Abdul GHAFAR Baba (since 7 May 1986)
The same text in 4 editions, 1992 to 1995.
Supreme Court
Rewritten: too little of the 1991 text remains to mark the changes.
Supreme Court
The same text in 3 editions, 1996 to 1998.
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler
Supreme Court Court, judges appointed by the paramount
ruler
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount
ruler on the advice of the prime minister
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount
The same text in 6 editions, 2001 to 2006.
Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister)
Supreme Court, judges Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister minister)
The same text in 2007 and 2008.
- Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister);
- Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance, only for Muslims;
- decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
Rewritten: too little of the 2006 text remains to mark the changes.
Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance, only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
- Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the advice of the prime minister);
- Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance only for Muslims;
- decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the paramount ruler king on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance, inheritance only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
The same text in 3 editions, 2010 to 2012.
- civil courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the advice of the prime minister);
- sharia courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance only for Muslims;
- decisions of sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
Civil Courts civil courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges are appointed by the king on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts sharia courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts
The same text in 2013 and 2014.
- highest court(s):
Federal Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges)
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 till age 65
- subordinate courts:
- Court of Appeal;
- High Court;
- Sessions Court;
- Magistrates' Court
Rewritten: too little of the 2012 text remains to mark the changes.
highest court(s):
Federal Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges)
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 till age 65
subordinate courts:
Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court
The same text in 3 editions, 2015 to 2017.
- highest court(s):
- 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 and 7 judges);
- 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 65
- subordinate courts:
- Court of Appeal;
- High Court;
- Sessions Court;
- Magistrates' Court
highest court(s):4 judges)Sarawak and 7 judges); note - Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts
judge selection and term of office:till until mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts:
- 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 6-month extensions
- subordinate courts:
- Court of Appeal;
- High Court;
- Sessions Court;
- Magistrates' Court
highest court(s): 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 Sarawak, 8 judges, and 7 judges); 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 65 66 with the possibility of 6-month extensions
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court
The same text in 3 editions, 2019 to 2021.
- 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
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 extensions extension
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court
The same text in 3 editions, 2022 to 2024.
- highest court(s):
- 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
highest courts: court(s): 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
- highest court(s):
- 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)
- 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
note: Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts
highest court(s): 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)
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
note: Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Malaysia: Judicial branch.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/malaysia/judicial-branch.