Malaysia

Area code 60Common abbreviation MALLast updated 16-9-2007
Road classSyntax explanationAdministrative subordinationSub classesZonesSystemRemarks
Asian highwayA[0-9]<2>AsiaSee Asia
ExpresswayE[0-9]<1-2>nationalsequentialunique exit numbers
National road (Laluan Persekutuan)[0-9]<1-3>national1-dsome clustering for 2- and 3-d numberssequential
2-d
3-dhighest number 132
State road (Laluan Negeri)[A-T][0-9]<1-3>state1-/2-dsee region table
3-d
Sabah and Sarawak, the states on Borneo, have their own separate road numbering systems, see the region table.
General description:
Expressways: the main north-south motorway has number E1 from Thailand to Kuala Lumpur. Between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore it is the E2. Other roads do not have a clear system, and 2-digit numbers can be more important than some 1-digit numbers.
Exit numbers are uniqe throughout the country. For example, exits on the E1 have numbers 1001, 1002 etc., exits on the E35 have numbers from 3501.
National roads usually have 1- or 2-digit numbers. There are only a few numbers over 100. Higher numbers tend to appear in clusters, but there is no clear zone system. For example, the numbers 89 - 96 and 99 are all close together in the south of Johor, but 87, 88 and 98 are in Pahang. Odd numbers are often used for north-south routes and even numbers for east-west routes (this holds for main roads 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), but there are too many exceptions for this to be considered a rule.
Most states do use this rule for state roads. State road numbers begin with a letter which is also used for general administration. This letter is often the first letter of the state name (J=Johor, M=Melaka) but this could not be done for all because many of the names begin with the same letter.
The letter for Sabah is S, but in this state an A appears before the digit(s) of all numbers. Thus national roads have numbers A1, A2 etc. and state roads have numbers beginning with SA.
The letter for Kuala Lumpur is W, but there are (apparently) no state roads in Kuala Lumpur.
The letter Q for Sarawak is not used in road numbering at all.
State road numbers match at state borders. For example, the Melaka M15 continues as N15 in Negeri Sembilan.
Suffixes appear only in Sarawak. Most national roads there have a numerical suffix, and in some districts, state roads have letter or digit suffixes. Digit suffixes denote sections of a road, rather than spurs or roads derived from a (more important) unsuffixed number.
Road signs:
Road typeBackgroundTextRoad numbers
ClassShapeBackgroundText
MotorwaysGreenWhiteAllYellowBlack
Other main roadsBlueWhite
Local roadsWhiteBlue
History: No information available
Sources and links: various maps and atlases, Floris van Deinse

    Official sites:
  1. Malaysian highway authority
    Other links:
  2. SMART Stormwater Management And Road Tunnel, Kuala Lumpur
  3. Expressways and highways Wikipedia route list, with many links to detailed descriptions of roads
    Pictures:
  4. Road pictures Malaysia

Region table

StateDistrictNational roadsState roadsSystem/remarks
Johor1;[0-9]<2>J[0-9]<1-3>J: even east-west, odd north-south
KedahMainland1;[0-9]<2>K[0-9]<1-3>K: even east-west, odd north-south
Langkawi11[2-7]K[0-9]<2-3>
Kelantan[0-9]<1-3>D[0-9]<1-3>D: even east-west, odd north-south
Kuala Lumpur[0-9]<1-3>None
Melaka[0-9]<1-2>M[0-9]<1-3>M: even east-west, odd north-south
Negeri Sembilan[0-9]<1-2>N[0-9]<1-3>N: even east-west, odd north-south, many exceptions
Pahang[0-9]<1-2>C[0-9]<1-3>C: even east-west, odd north-south
Perak[0-9]<1-3>A[0-9]<1-3>
Perlis[0-9]<1-2>R[0-9]<1-3>R: even east-west, odd north-south
Pulau Pinang1;6P[0-9]<1-3>P: even east-west, odd north-south
SabahA[1-7]SA[0-9]<1-2>SAx{y} derived from Ax
SarawakKuching01-[1-9]1[0-9]<3>National road 01 is the main coast road. Sections are numbered 01-1, 01-2 etc. starting in the west and increasing towards the east. Districts are ordered in the same way in this list (Kapit is not linked by road to any of the other districts).
Samarahan01-[0-9]<2>;218[0-9]<3>
Sri Aman01-[0-9]<2>;032[0-9]<3>{[LX]}
Sarikei01-[0-9]<2>6[0-9]<3>{[ABX]}
Sibu01-[0-9]<2>;33-33[0-9]<3>{-[12]}
Bintulu01-[0-9]<2>9[0-9]<3>{[X]}
Miri01-[0-9]<2>;22-2;1144[0-9]<3>
Limbang01-[0-9]<2>;1155[0-9]<3>
KapitNone7[0-9]<3>
Selangor[0-9]<1-2>B[0-9]<1-3>B: even east-west, odd north-south, many exceptions
Terengganu[0-9]<1-3>T[0-9]<1-3>T: even east-west, odd north-south
Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya[0-9]<1-2>None

Back to Home