| The nation of Malaysia is in two parts: West Malaysia on the southern end of the Malay Peninsula and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo roughly 700 km (450 mi) to the east. West Malaysia is the former Federation of Malaya, a union of 11 states placed under British protectorate in the late 1800s. In 1963 the British granted independence to Malaysia, a new country formed by uniting Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah (North Borneo). Singapore, a predominantly Chinese city just off the tip of Malay Peninsula, left the union in 1965 and has been independent since. Malaya faces one of the world's most important waterways, often called simply The Straits. The Strait of Malacca opens westward to the Indian Ocean and separates Malaya from the Indonesian island of Sumatra. At its southeastern end, the Strait of Malacca joins the Singapore Strait, which connects to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean. Aids to navigation in Malaysia (except for Pulau Pisang) are the responsibility of the Marine Department (Jabatan Laut). The Malay term for a lighthouse is rumah api; an island is a pulau, a cape is a tanjung, and a hill is a bukit. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. |
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![]() Tanjung Gelang Light; Malaysian Marine Department photo |
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![]() One Fathom Bank Lighthouses; Marine Dept. photo |
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Information available on lost lighthouses: Notable faux lighthouses:
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key Posted March 12, 2006. Checked and revised October 18, 2008. Lighthouses: 31. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. |
![]() Muka Head Light, Penang photo copyright Ralf Eulig; used by permission |