This article lists important figures and events in Malaysian public affairs during the year 2009, together with the deaths of notable Malaysians. 2009 marked is 52nd anniversary of Malaysia's Independence. Malaysia hosted the 2009 ASEAN Para Games between 15 and 19 August. Malaysia recorded more than 2,000 confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1) ("swine flu") and 76 deaths during a world pandemic of the disease.

Incumbent political figures Federal level Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu Raja Permaisuri Agong: Sultanah Nur Zahirah of Terengganu Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah of Kedah Prime Minister: Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (until 3 April) Dato' Sri Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak (from 3 April) Deputy Prime Minister: Dato' Sri Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak (until 3 April) Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Yassin (from 10 April) President of the Dewan Negara: Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Abdul Hamid Pawanteh (until 6 July) Tan Sri Ir. Wong Foon Meng (from 7 July) Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat: Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Pandikar Amin Mulia Chief Justice: Tun Dato' Seri Zaki Azmi

State level Johor: Sultan of Johor: Sultan Iskandar Menteri Besar of Johor: Abdul Ghani Othman Kedah: Sultan of Kedah: Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Menteri Besar of Kedah: Azizan Abdul Razak Kelantan: Sultan of Kelantan: Sultan Ismail Petra Menteri Besar of Kelantan: Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat Perlis: Raja of Perlis: Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Menteri Besar of Perlis: Md Isa Sabu Perak: Sultan of Perak: Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Menteri Besar of Perak: Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (until 6 February) Zambry Abdul Kadir (from 12 May) see 2009 Perak constitutional crisis Pahang: Sultan of Pahang: Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Menteri Besar of Pahang: Adnan Yaakob Selangor: Sultan of Selangor: Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Menteri Besar of Selangor: Abdul Khalid Ibrahim Terengganu: Sultan of Terengganu: Tengku Muhammad Ismail (Regent) Menteri Besar of Terengganu: Ahmad Said Negeri Sembilan: Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan: Tuanku Muhriz Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan: Mohamad Hasan Penang: Governor of Penang: Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas Chief Minister of Penang: Lim Guan Eng Malacca: Governor of Malacca: Tun Mohd Khalid Yaakob Chief Minister of Malacca: Mohd Ali Rustam Sarawak: Governor of Sarawak: Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Chief Minister of Sarawak: Abdul Taib Mahmud Sabah: Governor of Sabah: Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah Chief Minister of Sabah: Musa Aman

Events January 1 January Compulsory use of rear seat belts begins to be enforced. The Anti-Corruption Agency changes its name to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Graphic images on cigarette packs to show the adverse long-term effects of excessive smoking are introduced. 2 January – Ten people are killed and five are injured in an accident involving three vehicles on Gua Musang Highway near Bukit Sejuk, Gua Musang, Kelantan. 6–17 January – 2009 Kuala Terengganu by-election – Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut won with a total majority of 2,631 votes beating the Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Farid Wan Salleh. 12 January Members of parliament from the government and the opposition join forces to condemn the Israeli incursion into Gaza. Parliament passes ten resolutions on Israel's atrocities in Gaza to the United States Congress and parliaments of Britain and the European Union. A rock slide at the Perak Caves Buddhist temple, which is built into a cave, kills one person and traps more than a dozen others for hours near Ipoh, Perak. 23 January – Suspected car thief Kugan Ananthan, aged 22, dies five days after being arrested by police in Subang Jaya. Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail classifies Kugan's death as murder.

February 3 February – The Sultan of Perak, Azlan Shah, celebrates the silver jubilee of his reign in the state. 4 February – The Pakatan Rakyat government in Perak collapses after three of that party's legislators defect. Barisan Nasional claims the right to form a new government. 6 February – Pangkor state assemblyman Zambry Abdul Kadir is sworn in as the new Menteri Besar of Perak in front of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah at Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar, Perak. Malaysian police fire tear gas at Pakatan Rakyat supporters protesting against the government seizing power in state of Perak, fueling a tense political standoff. 9 February – Arumugam Vengatarakoo, a Kedah state assemblyman and member of the Kedah State Executive Council, resigned from both seats. 9–15 February – The 2009 edition of Le Tour de Langkawi occurs. 14 February – Tolls are no longer collected at the PJS 2 toll plaza heading toward Kuala Lumpur on the New Pantai Expressway near Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 17 February – Elizabeth Wong, a Parti Keadilan Rakyat legislator and Bukit Lanjan, Selangor's state assemblywoman, resigns after photos of her sleeping nude were spread via MMS. 18 February – The Menteri Besar of Perak, Zambry Abdul Kadir, is suspended for 18 months from attending the state legislative assembly. 24 February – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is launched. 25 February – The Salak Jaya toll plaza (south bound) on Sungai Besi Expressway is abolished and the future expansion of the Besraya Expressway to the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 near Pandan is announced.

March 3 March Three Malaysians are among seven people who are killed in a hotel blaze in Taipei, Taiwan. Thousands of people are left trapped and stranded in buildings, bus stations and light rail transit stations in Kuala Lumpur after flash floods following a heavy downpour at 3:00 pm. 7 March – Riot police fire tear gas into several hundreds of people marching from National Mosque to Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur to protest the use of English in the teaching of mathematics and science. 16 March RTM's third channel, Muzik Aktif is launched, broadcasting from Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur. Brunei is said to have dropped its long-standing claim over Sarawak's Limbang District when the two countries resolved various land and maritime territory disputes. However, a Bruneian official claims the issue was never discussed. 17 March – Chief Minister of Malacca, Datuk Seri Wira Mohd Ali Rustam is suspended from contesting the post of United Malays National Organisation deputy president as he was found guilty under Article 10.1 of the UMNO Members Code of Ethics, which regards bribery and money politics. 26 March – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wins the UMNO deputy president election with 1,575 votes beating Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib with 916 votes. 28 March – The lights of the world's tallest twin towers, Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the city of Putrajaya were turned off during Earth Hour.

April 2 April – 1 Malaysia is launched. 3 April – Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak becomes the sixth Malaysian Prime Minister, replacing Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. 4 April – Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad rejoins UMNO. 7 April – The by-elections for Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau and Batang Ai. Barisan Nasional wins in Batang Ai and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wins in Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang. 9 April – Muhyiddin Yassin is appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. 13 April – Six people are killed in a double-decker express bus crash at km 443 of the North–South Expressway near Rawang, Selangor. 14 April Kota Iskandar in Iskandar Puteri becomes Johor's state new administrative capital after Johor Bahru. Proton Exora, Proton's first MPV is launched. 16 April – Penang Deputy Chief Minister and state assemblyperson Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin resigns the state assembly seat of Penanti regarding allegations over his non-performance in public office and corruption allegations. 24 April – Lumut, Perak the home base of the Royal Malaysian Navy is declared "Naval Town". 27 April – The Royal Malaysian Navy celebrates its diamond jubilee (75th anniversary).

May 7 May – Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state Speaker V. Sivakumar is removed from the Perak State Assembly and ex-Sungkai state assemblyman Datuk S. Ganesan takes his oath as the new Speaker. Police arrest dozens of protesters, including three opposition MPs, in a standoff near the Perak State Secretariat Building in Ipoh. 9 May Three Hindu Rights Action Force leaders were released. Singapore's most-wanted fugitive, Jemaah Islamiyah leader Mas Selamat Kastari, was arrested in Skudai, Johor. 11 May – The High Court rules Dato' Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin the legitimate Menteri Besar of Perak, but Dato' Seri DiRaja Zambry Abdul Kadir remains in power. 15 May – 2009 swine flu pandemic The Ministry of Health confirms the first case of influenza A (H1N1) in a 21-year-old male student who had arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 13 May via a Malaysia Airlines flight (MH091) from Newark. 18 May – Barisan Nasional announces they will not contest the 31 May Penanti by-election in Penang. 22 May The Court of Appeal of Malaysia rules Zambry Abdul Kadir the legitimate Menteri Besar of Perak. Malaysia plans to build the third crossing bridge connecting Pengerang in the east of Johor to Changi in Singapore. 26 May – Hunger strike in Perak: 19 Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen and supporters are arrested then released on police bail about five hours later after having had their statements recorded. 29 May – The Imago Jaya Supermarket in Petaling Jaya, Selangor collapses while being torn down for redevelopment. Seven workers were killed, mostly Indonesians. 31 May – 2009 Penanti by-election, People's Justice Party (Malaysia) candidate Mansor Othman wins with a total majority of 1048 votes, beating Aminah Abdullah, Nai-Khan Ari and Kamarul Ramizu Idris, three independent candidates.

June 1 June – TV3 celebrates its 25th anniversary. 2 June – The roof of the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu collapses. 6 June – The late wife of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Endon Mahmood, is conferred the Seri Setia Mahkota Malaysia, which carries the title "Tun", by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu. 7–17 June – 2009 Men's Hockey Junior World Cup Malaysia–Singapore 16 June – Nor Azami Ahmad Ghazali, leader of the illegal Federal Special Forces of Malaysia (FSFM) and 42 people are arrested in Taman Gombak Jaya, Selangor. 17 June – 2009 swine flu pandemic The first local infection of influenza A (H1N1) is reported, as the infected person had no history of having traveled to a country that had the flu. 18 June – 2009 swine flu pandemic Following the pandemic, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin declares that all visitors and Malaysians returning from abroad would be required to fill in a health declaration form. 21 June – Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia defeats Indonesian ace Taufik Hidayat to win the Indonesia Super Series. 22 June – 2009 swine flu pandemic The SJKC Jalan Davidson Chinese primary school in Kuala Lumpur becomes the first school to be closed due to the Influenza A (H1N1) virus. The MEASAT-3A satellite is launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. 29 June – 7 July - Malaysia at the 2009 Asian Youth Games in Singapore.

July

1 July – The Kedah DAP decides to leave the Pakatan Rakyat, citing "undelivered promises" by the state government as one of the reasons. 8 July – The Cabinet decides that all national primary and secondary schools would teach science and mathematics in Malay and mother tongue for national-type primary schools beginning in 2012. 14 July PAS candidate Mohd Fauzi Abdullah wins the 2009 Manek Urai by-election with a total majority of 65 votes beating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat.