This article lists important figures and events in Malaysian public affairs during the year 1972, together with births and deaths of notable Malaysians.
February – Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom made her first official visit to Malaysia. She visited General Hospital at Kota Kinabalu. The hospital was then renamed in her honour (Hospital Queen Elizabeth). It is the only hospital in Malaysia named after her.
Malaysia was only formed on September 16, 1963. Prior to that date, Peninsular Malaysia was known as Malaya, Sarawak under Crown Colony of Sarawak and Kingdom of Sarawak and Sabah under North Borneo.