Federal

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong carries out his functions, except for certain discretionary powers, in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or of a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet.

Ministries and Departments carry out the executive function of the Federal Government. Each Ministry is headed by a Minister, except the Prime Minister's Department, which is headed by the Prime Minister.

There is also at least one Deputy Minister in each Ministry. Apart from the posts of Minister and Deputy Minister, each Ministry also has a Parliamentary Secretary.

The chief executive of each Ministry is the Secretary-General, except in the case of the Prime Minister's Department where this function is undertaken by the Chief Secretary to the Government who is also the head of the entire civil service.

Basically, there are two categories of Ministries: those, which carry out functions only at the federal level and those, which operate both at the federal and state level.

The Ministry "directs and coordinates programmes and activities of the Ministry so that the objectives and policies of the Ministry and of the Government will be achieved on schedule and at minimum expense".

Coordination of policies between the various Ministries and Departments is done by the Cabinet Secretariat and by other committees as well as at the Secretaries-General meetings. These meetings are chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government.