The Cabinet of Malaysia is the executive branch of Malaysia's government. Led by the Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Malaysia

The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...

, the cabinet is a council of ministers who are accountable collectively to the Parliament

Parliament of Malaysia

The Parliament of Malaysia is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The King as the Head of State is the third component of Parliament....

. According to the Article 43 of the Constitution

Constitution of Malaysia

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the Federation...

, members of the Cabinet can only be selected from members of either houses of Parliament. Formally, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Yang di-Pertuan Agong

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....

 appoints all Ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister, which he is obliged to follow. According to Article 43 of the Constitution

Constitution of Malaysia

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the Federation...

, members of the cabinet including all the ministers and deputy ministers shall not be a member of state legislative assembly, a member shall resign from the Assembly before exercising the functions of his office. Ministers other than the Prime Minister shall hold office during the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, unless the appointment of any Minister shall have been revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister but any Minister may resign his office.

Cabinet appointments

By convention, members of the Cabinet are typically appointed from the lower house of Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat

Dewan Rakyat

The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...

. Although Deputy Ministers and/or Parliamentary Secretaries may be appointed to each portfolio, they are not included in the Cabinet. The Cabinet meets weekly, every Wednesday. After the position of Parliamentary Secretary was removed and partial live telecasts of Parliament proceedings began in 2008, Cabinet meetings were moved to Fridays whenever Parliament sat, so as to allow Ministers to personally answer questions during Question Time in Parliament.

Cabinet composition

The composition of the Cabinet, and the number of portfolios depends mainly on the wishes of the Prime Minister at the time. However, the post of Finance Minister was considered so important as to be a necessity, and as a result was incorporated by the Minister of Finance (Incorporation) Act 1957 (Act 375). The position of Deputy Prime Minister is one that exists by convention, and as a result a Prime Minister could theoretically form a Cabinet without a Deputy.

Deputy ministers exist for each portfolio, although they are not considered members of the Cabinet. The position of Deputy Minister was created by constitutional amendment in 1960. The office of parliamentary secretary for each ministry exists but none were appointed after the 2008 Malaysian general election

Malaysian general election, 2008

The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...

. Parliamentary secretaries were provided for by an amendment in 1963. Deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries are also appointed from members of Parliament, and deputise for the ministers in government ministries and in Parliament respectively. An additional office, that of Political Secretary, exists. Political Secretaries need not be members of Parliament. Before taking office, all members of the Cabinet, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and Political Secretaries take an oath of secrecy concerning the proceedings of the Cabinet. (See also Official Secrets Act (Malaysia)

Official Secrets Act (Malaysia)

The Official Secrets Act 1972 , also known as the OSA, is a statute in Malaysia prohibiting the dissemination of information classified as an official secret. The legislation is based on the Official Secrets Act of the United Kingdom...

.)

Current cabinet

The Barisan Nasional

Barisan Nasional

Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...

 coalition won the general elections

Malaysian general election, 2008

The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...

 to the 12th Malaysian Parliament

12th Malaysian Parliament

The 12th Malaysian Parliament is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Malaysia, the Parliament, comprising the directly elected lower house, the Dewan Rakyat, and the appointed upper house, the Dewan Negara...

 on March 8, 2008 and formed the government. Following Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...

's resignation as Prime Minister, a new Cabinet was announced by new coalition leader, Najib Tun Razak

Najib Tun Razak

Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...

, on April 9, 2009 and were sworn in on April 10, 2009. Najib reshuffled his Cabinet on June 1, 2010, swapping two ministers.

Portfolio	Office Bearer	Party
Prime Minister of Malaysia Prime Minister of Malaysia The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the... Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia is the second highest political office in Malaysia. There has been ten deputy prime ministers since the office was created in 1957. Although there has always been a Deputy Prime Minister since independence, there is nothing preventing a Prime Minister from not...	Najib Tun Razak Najib Tun Razak Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...   Muhyiddin Yassin Muhyiddin Yassin Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Yassin is a Malaysian politician and the current Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Education. He is also the Deputy President of the United Malays National Organisation , the main component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.Muhyiddin grew up in the state...	UMNO United Malays National Organisation The United Malays National Organisation, is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence....   UMNO
Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Prime Minister's Department The Prime Minister's Department is a federal government ministry in Malaysia. It is headed by the Prime Minister of Malaysia followed by other ministers in the Prime Minister's Department. The Department consists of the Prime Minister's Office, the Deputy Prime Minister's Office and more than 50... National Unity and Performance Management Law and Parliament Economic Planning Unit (EPU) Islamic Affairs Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) CEO Modernisation and Management, Public Complaints Bureau	Koh Tsu Koon Koh Tsu Koon Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon is a Malaysian politician. He was the Chief Minister of Penang from 1990 to 2008 and is currently a member of the Dewan Negara, the upper house of the Malaysian Parliament...  (Senator Dewan Negara The Dewan Negara is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia. The Dewan Negara consists of 70 members, of which 26 are indirectly elected by the states, with two senators for every state in the Federation, and the other 44 being appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong .The Dewan Negara... ) Nazri Aziz  Nor Mohamed Yakcop Nor Mohamed Yakcop Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop is currently the Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, in charge of Economic Planning Unit. He was the prior Minister of Finance II, a post he has held since 2004 until 9 April 2009...   Jamil Khir Baharom Jamil Khir Baharom Dato' Seri Jamil Khir bin Baharom is a retired major general in the Military Religious Corps of Malaysia who is currently a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Islamic Affairs...  (Senator) Idris Jala Idris Jala Dato' Sri Idris Jala, who is from the Kelabit ancestry, is the current Minister without Portfolio in the Prime Minister's Department and chief executive officer of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit . He is a Senator in the Dewan Negara, upper house of parliament.Before that, Idris used...  (Senator Dewan Negara The Dewan Negara is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia. The Dewan Negara consists of 70 members, of which 26 are indirectly elected by the states, with two senators for every state in the Federation, and the other 44 being appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong .The Dewan Negara... ) G. Palanivel (Senator Dewan Negara The Dewan Negara is the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia. The Dewan Negara consists of 70 members, of which 26 are indirectly elected by the states, with two senators for every state in the Federation, and the other 44 being appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong .The Dewan Negara... )	GERAKAN Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia The Malaysian People's Movement Party is a political party in Malaysia. The party was founded on March 24, 1968, and , it is part of the ruling National Front coalition....   UMNO UMNO UMNO Independent MIC
Minister of Finance Finance minister The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances... Minister of Finance II	Najib Tun Razak Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah Dato' Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah is the current Second Minister of Finance of Malaysia. He was appointed on 10 April 2009 when Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak became Prime Minister. He is also the Member of Parliament for Tambun....	UMNO UMNO
Minister of Education Ministry of Education (Malaysia) The Ministry of Education is a Government ministry responsible for Malaysian educational matters...	Muhyiddin Yassin	UMNO
Minister of Transport	Kong Cho Ha Kong Cho Ha Dato' Seri Kong Cho Ha is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Minister for Transport in the Barisan Nasional coalition government of Najib Tun Razak and the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Lumut constituency in Perak. He is a member of the Malaysian Chinese Association .Kong...	MCA Malaysian Chinese Association Malaysian Chinese Association is a uni-racial political party in Malaysia that represents the Malaysian Chinese ethnicity; it is one of the three major component parties of the ruling coalition in Malaysia called the Barisan Nasional in Malay, or National Front in English.Along with the largest...
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities	Bernard Dompok	UPKO United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation is a political party based in Sabah, east Malaysia. It is an ethnically-based party striving to voice the rights and advance the development of Kadazan-Dusun and Murut population of Sabah and the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia.-History:The...
Minister of Home Affairs Ministry of Home Affairs (Malaysia) Ministry of Home Affairs in Malaysia is a Malaysian government ministry in charge of domestic affairs such as public safety, civil defence and immigration.- British colony :...	Hishammuddin Tun Hussein	UMNO
Minister of Information, Communications and Culture	Rais Yatim Rais Yatim Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim is the current Malaysian Information, Communications, and Culture Minister. His ministry is considered a new ministry formed from the merger of three separate ministries in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's smaller cabinet...	UMNO
Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water	Peter Chin Fah Kui Peter Chin Fah Kui Dato' Sri Peter Chin Fah Kui , born 31 August 1945, is the current Malaysian Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water. He is a Malaysian Chinese and of Hakka descent. He has been the Member of Parliament of Miri in Malaysia since 1985 and is currently the party organising secretary of the...	SUPP
Minister of Rural and Regional Development	Mohd Shafie Apdal Shafie Apdal Datuk Seri Mohd. Shafie bin Haji Apdal is currently the Malaysian Minister of Rural and Regional Development as of April 2009...	UMNO
Minister of Higher Education Ministry of Higher Education (Malaysia) The Ministry of Higher Education or MOHE is a government ministry that is responsible for determining the policies and direction of higher education in Malaysia.The offices of the MOHE are located in Putrajaya.-Background:...	Mohamed Khaled Nordin Mohamed Khaled Nordin Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin is a Malaysian politician who has been the Minister of Higher Education in the Cabinet of Malaysia since 2008. He formerly held the post of Minister of Entrepreneur & Cooperative Development from 2004 until the 2008 general election...	UMNO
Minister of International Trade and Industry	Mustapa Mohamed Mustapa Mohamed Dato Sri Mustapa bin Mohamed is a Malaysian politician. He is the Minister for International Trade and Industry in the Barisan Nasional coalition government and is the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the seat of Jeli in Kelantan, representing the United Malay National Organisation.Mustapa...	UMNO
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Malaysia) The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation or MOSTI is the Malaysian ministry in charge of research, telecommunication and information technology. The current minister is Datuk Dr...	Maximus Ongkili Maximus Ongkili Datuk Seri Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili is a Malaysian politician. He is the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation and the member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the seat of Kota Marudu in Sabah. He is a member of the United Sabah Party in the governing Barisan Nasional...	PBS Parti Bersatu Sabah The Parti Bersatu Sabah is a political party in Sabah, east Malaysia. It was registered as a political party on March 5, 1985...
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment	Douglas Uggah Embas Douglas Uggah Embas Dato' Sri Douglas Uggah Embas is a Malaysian politician. He is currently the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Betong constituency in Sarawak, representing the United Traditional Bumiputera Party...	PBB United Traditional Bumiputera Party The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, or PBB is a right-wing political party in Malaysia. It is currently the largest political party in Sarawak, with strongholds only in the rural areas. The party is one of the constituents of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.Bumiputera is a Malaysian...
Minister of Tourism Tourism Malaysia Tourism Malaysia or Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia.Tourism Malaysia or formerly known as the Tourist Development Corporation of Malaysia , was established on 10 August, 1972...	Ng Yen Yen Ng Yen Yen Dato' Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen is a Malaysian politician and the current Minister of Tourism in the Malaysian Cabinet. She is the current Vice-President of Malaysian Chinese Association . She was the chief of the Women's wing of the Malaysian Chinese Association till 2008...	MCA
Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry	Noh Omar Noh Omar Datuk Seri Noh bin Omar is a Malaysian politician. He is the current Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Tanjong Karang constituency in Selangor...	UMNO
Minister of Defence Ministry of Defence (Malaysia) The Ministry of Defence Malaysia is the Malaysian government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the Malaysian Armed Forces .The KEMENTAH states that its principal objectives are to defend Malaysia and its interests and to strengthen...	Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Minister for Defence in the Barisan Nasional coalition government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Bagan Datoh constituency in Perak...	UMNO
Minister of Works	Shaziman Abu Mansor Shaziman Abu Mansor Dato' Shaziman bin Abu Mansor is a Malaysian politician, a prominent member of the United Malays National Organization , and the current Works Minister of Malaysia.- Early life :...	UMNO
Minister of Health Ministry of Health (Malaysia) The Ministry of Health Malaysia is a ministry which established under the Malaysian government, and led by the incumbent Minister of Health. Currently, the Minister of Health is Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.-Vision:...	Liow Tiong Lai Liow Tiong Lai Dato' Sri Liow Tiong Lai is a Malaysian politician who is currently serving as the Health Minister in the Malaysian cabinet. He is the deputy president of the Malaysian Chinese Association , a major component party of the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition.-Background:Born in Jasin, Malacca, Liow...	MCA
Minister of Youth and Sports	Ahmad Shabery Cheek Ahmad Shabery Cheek YB. Dato' Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek is a Malaysian politician. He is the Minister of Youth and Sports in the Barisan Nasional coalition government, and sits in Parliament as the member for Kemaman, Terengganu...	UMNO
Minister of Human Resources	Subramaniam Sathasivam Subramaniam Sathasivam Datuk Dr. Subramaniam s/o. K.V. Sathasivam is a Malaysian politician of Indian origin and the current Human Resource Minister in the Malaysian federal cabinet. He is the Deputy President of the Malaysian Indian Congress , a major component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional...	MIC
Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism	Ismail Sabri Yaakob Ismail Sabri Yaakob Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Malaysian politician, is the current Malaysian Minister for Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism. He is a Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Bera constituency in Pahang, representing the United Malays National Organisation party in the governing...	UMNO
Minister of Housing and Local Government	Chor Chee Heung Chor Chee Heung Dato' Chor Chee Heung ; is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Alor Setar constituency in Kedah, Malaysia...	MCA
Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (Malaysia) The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development , better known by its Malay acronym, KPWKM, is a government ministry that is responsible determining the policies and direction to achieve the goals of gender equality, family development and a caring society in line with Malaysia's commitment...	Shahrizat Abdul Jalil Shahrizat Abdul Jalil Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is a Malaysian politician and the current Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in the Malaysian cabinet...  (Senator)	UMNO
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Malaysia) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia is the Malaysian government ministry which oversees the foreign relations of Malaysia. The current ministry is based in Putrajaya with Datuk Seri Anifah Aman as Minister, Senator A...	Anifah Aman Anifah Aman Dato' Sri Anifah bin Haji Aman is the current Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation , which is part of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and a Member of Parliament representing Kimanis in Sabah...	UMNO
Minister of the Federal Territories and Urban Well-being	Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin Dato' Raja Nong Chik bin Datuk Raja Zainal Abidin is a Malaysian politician and currently the Minister of Federal Territories and Urban Well-being. He is a Senator from the United Malays National Organisation in the Dewan Negara, the upper house of the Malaysian Parliament.-Background:Raja Nong... (Senator)	UMNO