This article lists important figures and events in Malaysian public affairs during the year 1983, together with births and deaths of notable Malaysians.

• Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Sultan Ahmad Shah
• Raja Permaisuri Agong: Tengku Ampuan Afzan
• Prime Minister: Dato' Sri Dr Mahathir Mohamad
• Deputy Prime Minister: Dato' Musa Hitam
• Lord President: Azlan Shah

• Sultan of Johor: Sultan Iskandar
• 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 Abdullah (Regent)
• 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 (Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong)
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Penang: Tun Dr Awang Hassan
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Malacca: Tun Syed Zahiruddin bin Syed Hassan
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Sarawak: Tun Abdul Rahman Ya'kub
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of Sabah: Tun Mohd Adnan Robert

• 23 January – The VIP platform in Batu Caves, Selangor collapsed during Thaipusam.
• February – Malaysia officially occupied the Layang-Layang Islands or "Swallow Reefs" atolls, one of the Spratly Islands. A naval base and resort was later built at this location.
• 10 May – The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) was established.
• 7 May – The Perusahan Otomobil Nasional Berhad (PROTON) was established.
• 1 July – Bank Islam Malaysia (BIMB), Malaysia's first Islamic bank was founded.
• 1 September – A Malaysian named Siow Woon Kwang was among the victims in Korean Air Lines Flight 007 that was shot down by a Soviet interceptor jet and crashed near Moneron Island, Soviet Union, killing all 269 passengers.^[1]
• 18 December – An Airbus A300 (OY-KAA) leased from Scandinavian Airlines as Malaysia Airlines Flight 684 crashed 2 km short of the runway at Subang Airport on a flight from Singapore. There were no fatalities, but the aircraft was written off.

• 10 March – Che'Nelle – R&B singer
• 30 April – Yeoh Ken Nee – Diver
• 1 May – Wong Mew Choo – Badminton player
• 6 May – Namewee – singer
• 26 August – Nicol Ann David – Squash player
• 14 September - Liyana Fizi - singer-songwriter
• 27 September – Fazura – Actress

• 19 January – Ahmad Boestamam – Malay author and nationalist
• 31 March – James Beveridge Thomson – first Lord President of the Supreme Court of Malaysia
• 25 April – Salmah Ismail (Saloma) – Wife and widow of Malaysian film actor, director singer, and songwriter P. Ramlee

• 1983
• 1982 in Malaysia | 1984 in Malaysia
• History of Malaysia