Anglo Dutch Treaty and establishment
of Malaya as a Crown colony
Four Malay states combine to
form the Federated Malay States
Japanese occupation
UMNO (United Malays National
Organisation) formed to oppose
post-war political settlement
British-ruled Malayan territories
unified as Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya independence
Malaysia Agreement (MA63): Federation
of Malaysia formed, consisting of the
British colonies of Malaya, North Borneo
(now Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore
Singapore withdraws from Malaysia
Tunku Abdul Rahman
resigns, replaced by Abdul Razak
Introduction of the New Economic
Policy (NEP): quotas for Malays in
business, education, civil service
and all economic spheres
Formation of Barisan Nasional (BN
or National Front coalition) with UMNO
becoming the dominant party in BN
Hussein Onn becomes prime
minister after Razak’s death
Mahathir Mohamad becomes prime
minister after Hussein’s resignation;
he wins the next five consecutive
general elections (1982, 1986, 1990,
1995, 1999), ruling for 22 years
Arrest of Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy
Prime Minister (1993–1998), on
sodomy and corruption charges
Anwar Ibrahim sentenced
to nine years for sodomy
Mahathir Mohamad resigns,
succeeded by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Badawi steps down as prime
minister, replaced by Deputy Prime
Minister Najib Abdul Razak, son of
Malaysia’s second prime minister
Anwar Ibrahim acquitted of second
sodomy charge; prosecution files an
appeal against Anwar’s acquittal
Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal overturned by
Court of Appeal; Anwar sentenced to five
years for the second sodomy conviction
Exposure of 1MDB fraud claims
Prime Minister Najib cleared by
attorney general in relation to 1MDB
fraud; US Department of Justice
announces seizure of 1MDB assets
General election for
Federal Legislative Council
General election for 1st Parliament
of the Federation of Malaya: Prime
Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman
considered the “father of the nation”
General election for 2nd Parliament
of the new Federation of Malaysia
General election for 3rd
Parliament of Malaysia; race riots
between Malays and non-Malays
General election for 4th
Parliament of Malaysia
General election for 5th
Parliament of Malaysia
General election for 6th
Parliament of Malaysia
General election for 7th
Parliament of Malaysia
General election for 8th
Parliament of Malaysia
General election for 9th
Parliament of Malaysia
Anwar Ibrahim sentenced
to six years for corruption;
General election for 9th
Parliament of Malaysia
General election for 11th
Parliament of Malaysia;
Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy
conviction overturned
General election for 12th
Parliament of Malaysia: for the
first time in Malaysian history,
BN loses its two-thirds majority
in parliament and control of five
state assemblies; Opposition
leader Anwar Ibrahim arrested
on second sodomy charges
General election for 13th
Parliament of Malaysia
General election for 14th Parliament of
Malaysia: won by Pakatan Harapan coalition
led by Mahathir Mohamad, the first regime
change in Malaysian political history; Anwar
Ibrahim released from prison after being
granted a royal pardon by Malaysian King;
Anwar elected to Parliament in a by-election