🇲🇾 Malaysia
Elective monarchy, federation, constitutional monarchy, federal monarchy, parliamentary monarchyElectoral democracy
Anwar Ibrahim
Prime Minister · 1,423 days in office
How the political system works in Malaysia
Malaysia is governed as a elective monarchy with a federation, constitutional monarchy, federal monarchy, parliamentary monarchy. Its prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has led the country since Nov 24, 2022. Malaysia has had 9 prime ministers since 1955. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral democracy.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Mahathir Mohamad
8,803 days · 2 terms
Shortest-serving
Ismail Sabri Yaakob
460 days
Average tenure
2,458 days
Anwar Ibrahim: 42% below average
Female leaders
0 of 9
All male to date
Recent prime ministers by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Malaysia?
Across 10 completed terms, the average prime minister of Malaysia has served 2,458 days (about 6.7 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 1,392 days. The last leader to beat the average was Najib Razak, who left office in 2018.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All prime ministers of Malaysia
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 |  Anwar Ibrahim | Nov 24, 2022 | Incumbent | 1,423 |
| 10 |  Ismail Sabri Yaakob | Aug 21, 2021 | Nov 24, 2022 | 460 |
| 9 |  Muhyiddin Yassin | Mar 1, 2020 | Aug 16, 2021 | 533 |
| 8 |  Mahathir Mohamad | May 10, 2018 | Mar 1, 2020 | 661 |
| 7 |  Najib Razak | Apr 3, 2009 | May 10, 2018 | 3,324 |
| 6 |  Abdullah Ahmad Badawi | Oct 31, 2003 | Apr 3, 2009 | 1,981 |
| 5 | Mahathir Mohamad | Jul 16, 1981 | Oct 31, 2003 | 8,142 |
| 4 | Hussein Onn | Jan 15, 1976 | Jul 16, 1981 | 2,009 |
| 3 |  Abdul Razak Hussein | Sep 22, 1970 | Jan 14, 1976 | 1,940 |
| 2 |  Tunku Abdul Rahman | Aug 31, 1957 | Sep 22, 1970 | 4,770 |
| 1 | Tunku Abdul Rahman | Aug 1, 1955 | Aug 31, 1957 | 761 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the Prime Minister of Malaysia?
- Anwar Ibrahim has been Prime Minister of Malaysia since Nov 24, 2022.
- How is the leader of Malaysia chosen?
- Malaysia is governed as a elective monarchy with a federation, constitutional monarchy, federal monarchy, parliamentary monarchy. Its prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has led the country since Nov 24, 2022. Malaysia has had 9 prime ministers since 1955. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral democracy.
- Who is the longest-serving Prime Minister of Malaysia?
- Mahathir Mohamad, with 8,803 days in office across 2 terms.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Malaysia?
- Across 10 completed terms, the average prime minister of Malaysia has served 2,458 days (about 6.7 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 1,392 days. The last leader to beat the average was Najib Razak, who left office in 2018.
- Has Malaysia ever had a female prime minister?
- No. All 9 prime ministers of Malaysia to date have been men.