Malaysia has a fully functioning bicameral system of Parliament. The House of Representatives consists of 222 members and the Senate has 70 elected members. The Head of State is The King and the Head of Government is the Prime Minister supported by a cabinet. The federation consists of 13 states and three federal territories. Each state has its own elected legislature for regional government. The Judiciary is separate from government and administers a system based on English Common Law. Recent moves by some states to promote Islamic sharia law are causing further tension in the nation.

Environmental degradation, particularly the loss of rain-forest areas, has become a topical issue in Malaysia. As a key tourist destination, there is a growing tension between land being set aside for the production of agricultural products, such as palm oil and tourism. Dense rainforests on the island of Borneo provide a refuge for wildlife and tribal traditions.