At stake in this election:

• 222 seats in the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin
• Head of Government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi
• Assembly: Malaysia has a bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) consisting of the Senate (Dewan Negara) with 70 seats and the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) with 222 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The Sultan is elected by hereditary state rulers to serve a 5-year term.
• The Prime Minister is designated by parliament.
• In the Senate (Dewan Negara), 44 members are appointed by the monarch to serve 3-year terms and 26 members are elected by the state legislatures to serve 3-year terms*. In the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) 222 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

* 44 seats appointed by paramount ruler, 26 elected by 13 state legislatures

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: United Malays National Organization (UMNO)
  Leader: ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 79
  
• Party: People's Justice Party / Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
  Leader: WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 31
  
• Party: Islamic Party of Malaysia / Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS)
  Leader: Abdul HADI Awang
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 23
  
• Party: Democratic Action Party (DAP) / Parti Tindakan Demokratik
  Leader: KARPAL Singh
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 28
  
• Party: Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) / Persatuan Cina Malaysia; 马来西亚华人公会
  Leader: ONG Ka Ting
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 15
  
• Party: Malaysian People's Movement Party / Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan)
  Leader: KOH Tsu Koon
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 2
  
• Party: Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) / Kongres India Se-Malaysia; மலேசிய இந்திய காங்கிரஸ்
  Leader: S. Samy VELLU
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 3
  
• Party: United Traditional Bumiputera Party / Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB)
  Leader: Abdul TAIB Mahmud
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 14
  
• Party: Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) / Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak; 砂拉越人民联合党
  Leader: George CHAN Hong Nam
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 6
  
• Party: United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation / (UPKO)
  Leader: Bernard DOMPOK
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 4
  
• Party: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) / Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak
  Leader: William MAWAN
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 4
  
• Party: United Sabah Party / Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS)
  Leader: Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 3
  
• Party: Sarawak People's Party / Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS)
  Leader: James Masing
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 6
  
• Party: Sabah Progressive Party / Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP)
  Leader: YONG Teck Lee
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 2
  
• Party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) / Parti Liberal Demokratik; 自由民主党
  Leader: LIEW Vui Keong
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 1
  
• Party: People's Progressive Party (PPP) / Parti Progresif Penduduk
  Leader: M. Kayveas
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  
• Party: Non-partisans/Others
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 25,274,133 (July 2008 )
• Registered Voters: 10,922,139 (March 2008 )