In Malaysia, it is used to refer to the heads of government, called in the Malay languageKetua Menteri (literally chief minister), of the Malaysian states without a sultan, i.e., Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak – while the Malay language term Menteri Besar (literally great minister), is used in other states with a monarch.
By analogy, the term is often applied to various other high ministerial offices, e.g., those in a princely state before or during the British raj, or to chancellors of the Chinese states.