| The Malaysian government runs as a federal constitutional elective monarchy with the head of state known as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or the King of Malaysia. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is elected for a five-year term by the Sultans, or rulers, of nine of the 13 states. Four of the states do not partake in the decision.
The Barisan Nasional has governed Malaysia since its independence in 1957 and the system of government is similarly designed to the Westminster parliamentary system, a well-known system from British colonial rule. A few differences are that the executive branch of the government holds more power than the legislative and the judiciary branch is weaker due to historical attacks on the government.
The economy in Malaysia is continuously growing and is fairly open. Manufacturing and international trade play a large role in the economy, especially since Malaysia is one of the few countries which control the Strait of Malacca. Malaysia was the largest producer of tin, rubber and palm oil, at one point in time.
Government expenditure has also been greatly influential as it was often used to fuel the economy. The government has been able to use “five year plans” to help redistribute wealth and investments while getting involved in the economy. In 2007 the Malaysian economy was the 29th largest in the world by purchasing power parity.
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