<P> In the previous general election in 2013, the incumbent Barisan Nasional government won re-election for the 13th consecutive time, but with a decreased mandate and losing the majority vote . Barisan Nasional chairman, Najib Razak, was re-elected as Prime Minister to a second term . The main opposition, Pakatan Rakyat, led by Anwar Ibrahim, won the majority vote but was unable to win enough seats to form the government due to Malaysia's first - past - the - post voting system and alleged gerrymandering . The election marked the first time Barisan Nasional lost the majority vote in the party's history . </P> <P> Elections in Malaysia exists at two levels: the federal level and the state level . Federal elections are held to elect members of the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Parliament, while state elections are held to elect members of the 13 State Legislative Assemblies of Malaysia . The heads of executive branch at both the federal and state levels, the Prime Minister and Menteri Besar / Chief Ministers respectively, are indirectly elected, usually filled by a member of the majority party / coalition in the respective legislatures </P> <P> The Dewan Rakyat is made up of 222 members of parliament, elected for a five - year term; these seats are distributed between the thirteen Malaysian states in proportion to the states' voting population . Members are elected from single - member constituencies that each elects one representative to the Dewan Rakyat using the first - past - the - post voting system . If one party obtains a majority of seats, then that party is entitled to form the Government, with its leader as Prime Minister . If the election results in no single party having a majority, there is a hung parliament . In this case, the options for forming the Government are either a minority government or a coalition . Malaysia does not practice compulsory voting and automatic voter registration . The voting age is above 21 although the age of majority in the country is 18 . </P> <P> The redistricting of electoral boundaries for the entire country had been presented to and passed by the Dewan Rakyat, and subsequently gazetted on 29 March 2018 after obtaining the royal consent of the Yang di - Pertuan Agong ahead of the 14th general election . Elections are conducted by the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC), which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Department . </P>

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