1980 in Malaysia

Incumbent political figures

Federal level

• Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Sultan Ahmad Shah
• Raja Permaisuri Agong: Tengku Ampuan Afzan
• Prime Minister: Tun Hussein Onn
• Deputy Prime Minister: Dato' Dr Mahathir Mohamad
• Lord President: Mohamed Suffian Mohamed Hashim

  State level

• Sultan of Johor: Sultan Ismail
• Sultan of Kedah: Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah
• Sultan of Kelantan: Sultan Ismail Petra
• Raja of Perlis: Tuanku Syed Putra
• Sultan of Perak: Sultan Idris Shah II
• Sultan of Pahang: Tengku Abdulah
• Sultan of Selangor: Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
• Sultan of Terengganu: Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah
• Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan: Tuanku Jaafar
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang: Tun Sardon Jubir
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca: Tun Syed Zahiruddin bin Syed Hassan
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak: Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah: Tun Mohd Adnan Robert

  Events

• February – Johore Safari World, Malaysia's first safari park was opened to public.
• 30 March – Sultan Ismail Petra was crowned as the Sultan of Kelantan
• 5 June – 8 died in the powerful explosions and fire inferno at Port Klang, Selangor.
• 10 July – Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang was installed as seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
• 19 July – Malaysia boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games in Soviet Union.
• 31 August – Colour television launched in Sabah and Sarawak by Radio Televisyen Malaysia
• September – The Heavy Industries Corporation of Malaysia Berhad was established.
• 24 October – The Malaysian Highway Authority was founded.

  Births

• 2 February – Josiah Ng – Track cyclist
• 15 September – Faiz Khaleed – first Malaysian angkasawan
• Unknown date – Qabil Ambak – Equestrian
• Unknown date – Lim Keng Liat – Swimmer