2003 in Malaysia

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← 2002 2001 2000 2003 in Malaysia → 2004 2005 2006
Decades:	1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2003 History of Malaysia  • Timeline  • Years

This article lists important figures and events in Malaysian public affairs during the year 2003, together with births and deaths of notable Malaysians.

• Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin
• Raja Permaisuri Agong: Tuanku Fauziah
• Prime Minister:
  • Mahathir Mohamad (until 31 October)
  • Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (from 31 October)
• Deputy Prime Minister: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (until 31 October)
• Chief Justice: Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah then Ahmad Fairuz Abdul Halim

• Sultan of Johor: Sultan Iskandar
• Sultan of Kedah: Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah
• Sultan of Kelantan: Sultan Ismail Petra
• Raja of Perlis: Tuanku Syed Faizuddin (Regent)
• Sultan of Perak: Sultan Azlan Shah
• Sultan of Pahang: Sultan Ahmad Shah
• Sultan of Selangor: Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah
• Sultan of Terengganu: Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin (Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong)
• Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan: Tuanku Jaafar
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Penang: Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Malacca: Tun Syed Ahmad Al-Haj bin Syed Mahmud Shahabuddin
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Sarawak: Tun Abang Mohammad Salahuddin
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Sabah: Tun Sakaran Dandai (until 31 December)

• 1 January –Visit Johor Year 2003 officially began.^[1]
• 1 January – The indirect advertising of tobacco brands was banned by the Malaysian federal government.^[2]
• 4 January – Mathematics and Science subjects in English were introduced to all primary and secondary schools for the first time.^[3]
• 14 February – The Southern Integrated Gateway projects (new CIQ complex and new bridge) in Johor Bahru were officially launched by the Malaysian prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad.^[4]
• 23 February – About 20,000 people rallied in the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil to show support for "Malaysians for Peace".^[5]
• 20–25 February – The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) General Conference was held in Kuala Lumpur.^[6]
• 9 March – Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah was crowned as the 9th Sultan of Selangor.^[7]
• 5 April – A 64-year-old man from Jerantut, Pahang died of Severe Acute Respiatory Syndrome (SARS) virus.^[8]
• May — The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) signed a deal to purchase 18 Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKM jet fighters worth almost $1 billion. The Su-30MKMs would be delivered in batches starting in early 2007. As part of the deal, the Russians would send a Malaysian astronaut (angkasawan) to the International Space Station (ISS).^[9]
• 23 May – Ling Liong Sik resigns as MCA president.
• 25 May – A 19-year-old salesgirl died when a car driven by 21-year-old college student crashed into her and several friends seated at a table set up at a roadside in front of a 24-hour restaurant in Section 14, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
• 14 June – IT analyst, Canny Ong was raped and murdered. Her body was found at the New Pantai Expressway construction site in Jalan Klang Lama near Kampung Dato' Harun, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.^[10]
• 23 June – The base of a tower once part of the Porto de Santiago fort built by the Portuguese 500 years earlier was discovered near Padang Pahlawan, Malacca.
• 24 July – Malaysia and Singapore jointly submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) a dispute concerning sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh (Pedra Branca), Middle Rocks and South Ledge.^[11]
• 24 July – The Federal Special Forces of Malaysia (FSFM) was declared an illegal organisation by the federal government because its activities posed a threat to national security. Nor Azami Ahmad Ghazali the leader of the FSFM and 24 of its members were arrested.^[12]
• 3 August – Abdul Malik Mydin became the first Malaysian and Southeast Asian to cross the English Channel by swimming from Dover, England to Calais, France.^[13]
• August – Naza Ria, Malaysia's first MPV vehicle was launched.^[14]
• 26 August – Sultanah Bahiyah of Kedah, a consort of Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah of Kedah died of cancer. She was buried at the Kedah Royal Mausoleum in Langgar.^[15]
• 31 August – The quick-march version of Negaraku national anthem reverted to the original slow-march version.^[16]
• 31 August – Malaysia's first monorail transit system, KL Monorail began operations.^[17]
• September – The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) signed a deal to purchase two of the French Scorpène-class submarines worth almost $1 billion.^[18]
• 18 September – Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad paid a glowing tribute to former MCA president Ling Liong Sik for his successful service as transport minister and Cabinet minister for 27 years.^[19]
• 23 September – Media Prima Berhad, Malaysia's largest integrated media group of companies was launched.^[20]
• 3 October – Berjaya Times Square, the highest shopping complex in Malaysia was officially opened.^[21]
• 15 October – The opening of Malacca Tropical Fruit Farm in Malacca.
• 16–17 October – The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) General Conference was held in Putrajaya.^[22]
• 22 October – Alor Star was granted city status.^[23]
• 31 October – Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became the fifth prime minister, replacing Mahathir Mohamad.^[24]
• 25 November – The construction of the SMART Tunnel projects began.^[25]
• 26 November – A rockfall on the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) near the Bukit Lanjan interchange caused the expressway to close for more than six months.^[26]
• 1 December – 14 passengers were killed in an early morning collision involving two buses – a school bus which was converted for commercial use and an express bus – at the 63rd kilometre of the Kuala Lipis-Merapoh trunk road near Merapoh, Pahang. 23 others were injured.^[27]
• December – The Malaysian National Service (Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN)) was introduced as the conscription training program.

• 5 July – Tun Sulaiman Ninam Shah – UMNO annual meeting permanent chairman.
• 9 August – Ali Bakar – Footballer
• 26 August – Sultanah Bahiyah of Kedah
• 19 October – Dato' Seri Harun Idris – Former Selangor Menteri Besar.

• 2003
• List of Malaysian films of 2003
• 2002 in Malaysia | 2004 in Malaysia
• History of Malaysia