persekutuan

Persekutuan is a Malay term meaning federation, referring to a political arrangement in which a group of partially autonomous states or regions are united under a central government while retaining specific powers for the constituent units. The word is formed from per- (a prefix indicating a process or state) and sekutu (to unite), with the -an suffix turning the idea into a noun.

In political science, a persekutuan (federation) contrasts with a konfederasi (confederation) and a negara berpusat (unitary state). In a federation, sovereignty is divided by a constitution between the central government and member units; core competencies such as defense and foreign affairs are usually federal, while local matters such as education and transport may be devolved to states or provinces.

In Malay-speaking contexts, persekutuan has been used for historical and contemporary federations. The Federation of Malaya is known in Malay as Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, established in 1948 and later becoming part of the formation of Malaysia in 1963. Today Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy made up of 13 states and 3 federal territories, with a Federal Government (Kerajaan Persekutuan) and state governments (Kerajaan Negeri) sharing power under the Federal Constitution.

The term also appears in legal, historical, and academic writings to describe other federations in which multiple jurisdictions coexist under a central authority. See also: federalism, federation, unitary state, confederation.