The 13th Malaysian General Election - Know your Parties. =)

The United Malays National Organisation,(abbreviated as UMNO) is Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the National Front coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since independence. 1Malaysia is an on-going campaign announced by Prime Minister Najib Razak on September 16, 2008, calling for the cabinet, government agencies, and civil servants to more strongly emphasize ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance. 1Malaysia has been incorporated into UMNO official ideology. 1Malaysia strongly emphasizes national unity, ethnic tolerance, and government efficiency. The eight values of 1Malaysia as articulated by Najib Razak are perseverance, a culture of excellence, acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, integrity, and meritocracy.

The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) was formed on February 27, 1949 with the implicit support by post-World War II British Reoccupation Authority. A central purpose of the MCA at the time of its founding was to manage the specific social and welfare concerns of the populations interned in the so-called New Villages created under the Briggs' Plan in response to the Malayan Emergency. Led by Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, the Malaysian Chinese Association aims to safeguard the country’s independence as well as the rights and interests of Malaysian Chinese. The party also seeks to promote goodwill among Malaysians and ensure the peaceful progress and growth of a strong and united nation.

The Malaysian Indian Congress is the third largest component party of Barisan Nasional and represents the Indian community. It won four parliamentary seats and seven state seats in GE12 in 2008. Led by Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, MIC is committed to positive racial harmony, cooperation, and ensuring that the Indian community obtains 3% equity by the year 2020.

The Malaysian People's Movement Party (commonly abbreviated as Gerakan) is a political party in Malaysia. The party was founded on March 24, 1968, and as of 2008, it is part of the ruling National Front coalition. During its formation, Gerakan was an opposition party not affiliated with the national ruling coalition, the Alliance Party, the predecessor of the National Front. Following the 1969 general election, Gerakan won most of the seats in the state legislature of Penang. Gerakan and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which won in Kelantan, were the only parties not then affiliated with the Alliance Party to form a state government in Malaysia. However, in 1973, Gerakan together with the Alliance Party formed a coalition called the National Front, where it remains until today. The current leader of Gerakan is Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon who won the post of President uncontested in the 2008 party elections.

The People’s Progressive Party led by Datuk M. Kayveas was originally an opposition party before joining the forerunner to Barisan, the Alliance Party in 1953. However, it withdrew a while later to become an opposition party once more before finally joining Barisan Nasional in 1973.

Founded in 1973, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu is Sarawak’s largest political party. Led by Sarawak chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the party was formed to improve the lives and protect the rights of the Bumiputra.

The Sarawak United Peoples' Party, or SUPP is a political party in Malaysia. The party is one of the constituent members of the ruling Barisan Nasional. It was established in 1959 mainly by leftists and working class Chinese, many of whom were members of the underground communist movement in Sarawak. It is currently led by Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui. SUPP has five parliamentary and six state seats.

Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah is led by Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, and was founded by former members of Parti Bersatu Sabah. It was accepted as part of the Barisan coalition in 1994. The party currently has one parliamentary and one state seat. 

Parti Bersatu Sabah is a relatively new party, being formed in 1985 by Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan after he was forced out of the ruling Berjaya party. PBS joined Barisan in 1986, only to pull out of the coalition in 1990 before rejoining in 2002.

The United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation started as Parti Demokrat Sabah in 1994, but was later renamed. The party’s president is Tan Sri Bernard Dompok. Upko currently holds four parliamentary and six state seats. 

The Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party is a Sarawak-based party formed relatively recently - in 2002 - when the Sarawak National Party was deregistered. The party is led by Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and has four parliamentary and six state seats.

Founded in 2004, Parti Rakyat Sarawak came about after Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) was deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) in 2003. PRS was formed by members of PBDS, including Tan Sri Dr James Masing, and was later accepted into Barisan. It currently holds six parliamentary and eight state seats. 

The Democratic Action Party is a multi-race party that was originally the Malaysian branch of the Singapore People’s Action Party. In 1966, it registered itself as a Malaysian democratic socialist party. The party’s chairman is Karpal Singh, one of its 29 parliamentary representatives. The party also has 83 state seats and seeks to champion democratic governance and equal opportunity for all. 

Parti Keadilan Rakyat is helmed by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the wife of former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, After Anwar was sacked from his position in the Government and Barisan and jailed on charges of corruption and sexual misconduct, his wife took over a small party named Ikatan Masyarakat Islam Malaysia and relaunched it under the PKR banner in 1999. In 2004, Anwar was released from prison and led the party in GE12 in 2008. PKR currently has 24 parliamentary and 38 state seats. 

Parti Islam Se-Malaysia was officially founded in 1951. It espouses a strong Islamist standpoint on issues and moral questions. The party currently, which is led by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, has 23 parliamentary and 83 state seats. It also leads the state governments in Kedah and Kelantan.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia was founded in 1998. Although its sole representative in Parliament - Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael D. Jeyakumar - contested in GE12 on a PKR ticket, PSM remains outside the coalition proper. Besides the parliamentary seat, PSM has a state seat which is held by its chairman Dr Nasir Hashim. 

The Sabah Progressive Party is an independent party helmed by former PBS member Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee. Although it was originally a Barisan component party, it has since pulled out. It currently has two state seats and two parliamentary seats. 

Few parties have as dramatic a history as the Sarawak National Party. Founded in 1961, it was a member of Barisan until 2004 when it was expelled. In the 2008 general election, it contested as an opposition party and officially joined Pakatan Rakyat in 2010. However, one year later, the party withdrew from Pakatan over seat allocation disagreements. 

The Malaysian Democratic Party was formed in 1998 by Wee Choo Keong following his expulsion from DAP. Wee contested in 2008 under a PKR ticket, and won the Wangsa Maju parliamentary seat. 

Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) was founded in 2009. The party first contested in the Sarawak elections last year but lost in all the seats it stood in. 

The Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party was an offshoot of the banned Hindraf movement, with Hindraf national coordinator R.S. Thanenthiran stepping up as founding president. 

Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air or Parti KITA is formerly known as Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (AKIM). It was renamed on 15 Dec 2010 in a resolution passed by AKIM party members. With the tagline is ‘Moderate. Democratic. Liberal’, KITA believes in equal rights for all, the freedom and integrity of public institutions and the sanctity of law, the Constitution.