List of land divisions in Malaysia
Districts (Malay : Daerah ; Jajahan in Kelantan ) are a type of subdivision below the state level in Malaysia . An administrative district is administered by a lands and district office (Malay : pejabat daerah dan tanah ) which is headed by district officer (Malay : pegawai daerah ).
In Peninsular Malaysia , a district is a subdivision of a state . A mukim (commune , sub-district or parish ) is a subdivision of a district. The National Land Code assigns land matters, including the delineation of districts, to the purview of state governments .[ 1] These states operate a Torrens system , with districts administered by the respective state’s land and district office, and coordinated by the land and mines office.[ 2]
The state of Perlis is not divided into districts due to its size, but straight to the mukim level. The three Federal Territories are also not divided into districts; however Kuala Lumpur is divided into several mukim for land administration purposes. Putrajaya is divided into precincts .
In East Malaysia , a district is a subdivision of a division (bahagian ) of a state.[ 3] For example, Tuaran is a district within the West Coast Division of Sabah . A district is usually named after the main town or its administrative capital ; for example, the town of Sandakan is the capital of the Sandakan District, as well as the capital of Sandakan Division .
Some larger districts are further divided into autonomous sub-districts (daerah kecil ; literally "small district") before the mukim level. This is prevalent in Sarawak and Sabah , but also seen in Peninsular Malaysia in recent years, e.g. Lojing autonomous sub-district in Kelantan . Sub-districts in Sarawak and Sabah , however, are not divided into mukim.
Relationship with parliament and local government [ edit ]
In contrast to local governments that manage municipal administration and infrastructure development, districts are solely utilised for land revenue.[ 5] While districts are usually congruent with local government areas , in more urbanised states, municipalities and districts either overlap or subsume one another. In Selangor , the district of Petaling contains three cities – Petaling Jaya , Subang Jaya and the state's capital Shah Alam .[ 6] Similarly in Johor , Johor Bahru District consists of three cities – Iskandar Puteri , Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang .[ 7] Conversely, a local government can administer multiple districts, such as in Penang , where George Town encompasses the Northeast and Southwest districts,[ 8] and Seberang Perai comprises the Northern , Central and Southern districts.[ 9]
Administrative district boundaries also provide the basis of boundaries for the parliamentary constituencies in the Malaysian Parliament .[ 10] However this is not always the case; in heavily populated areas e.g. the Klang Valley and Kinta Valley there is serious overlap between district, local government and parliamentary boundaries.
West Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia)[ edit ]
City-status District
Municipal-status District
Federal Territory/State
District Name
Capital/Largest settlement
Local Government
Population (2020[ 11] )
Area (km2 )
Density
Federal Territory (Malaysia)
—
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur H
1982112
243
8,156.8
—
Putrajaya
Putrajaya P
109202
49
2,228.6
Johor
Batu Pahat District
Batu Pahat
Batu Pahat M Yong Peng D
495338
1966
252.0
Johor Bahru District
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru C Iskandar Puteri C Pasir Gudang C
1711191
1066
1,605.2
Kluang District
Kluang
Kluang M Simpang Renggam D
323762
2865
113.0
Kota Tinggi District
Kota Tinggi
Kota Tinggi D Pengerang M
222382
3489
63.7
Kulai District
Kulai
Kulai M
329497
756
435.8
Mersing District
Mersing
Mersing D
78195
2857
27.4
Muar District
Muar
Muar M
314776
1393
226.0
Pontian District
Pontian Kechil
Pontian M
173318
933
185.8
Segamat District
Segamat
Segamat M Labis D
197762
2867
69.0
Tangkak District
Tangkak
Tangkak D
163449
977
167.3
Kedah
Baling District
Baling
Baling D
142643
1529
93.3
Bandar Baharu District
Serdang
Bandar Baharu D
44412
271
163.9
Kota Setar District
Alor Setar
Alor Setar C
374051
420
890.6
Kuala Muda District
Sungai Petani
Sungai Petani M
544984
913
596.9
Kubang Pasu District
Jitra
Kubang Pasu M
237759
946
251.3
Kulim District
Kulim
Kulim M Kulim Hi-Tech Industrial Park LA
337699
774
436.3
Langkawi District
Kuah
Langkawi M
94138
526
179.0
Padang Terap District
Kuala Nerang
Padang Terap D
65698
1359
48.3
Pendang District
Pendang
Pendang D
98922
629
157.3
Pokok Sena District
Pokok Sena
Alor Setar C
49812
244
204.1
Sik District
Sik
Sik D
67925
1635
41.5
Yan District
Yan Besar
Yan D
73384
246
298.3
Kelantan
Bachok District
Bachok
Bachok D
157288
279
563.8
Gua Musang District [ note 1]
Gua Musang
Gua Musang D Lojing D
112495
8179
13.8
Jeli District
Jeli
Jeli D
54656
1326
41.2
Kota Bharu District
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu M Ketereh D
555757
403
1,379.0
Kuala Krai District
Kuala Krai
Kuala Krai D Dabong D
105007
2275
46.2
Machang District
Machang
Machang D
110008
526
209.1
Pasir Mas District
Pasir Mas
Pasir Mas D
230424
570
404.3
Pasir Puteh District
Pasir Puteh
Pasir Puteh D
136157
423
321.9
Tanah Merah District
Tanah Merah
Tanah Merah D
150766
880
171.3
Tumpat District
Tumpat
Tumpat D
179943
180
999.7
Malacca
Alor Gajah District
Alor Gajah
Alor Gajah M Hang Tuah Jaya M
249356
674
370.0
Jasin District
Jasin
Jasin M Hang Tuah Jaya M
151937
679
223.8
Melaka Tengah District
Malacca City
Malacca C Hang Tuah Jaya M
597135
359
1,663.3
Negeri Sembilan
Jelebu District
Kuala Klawang
Jelebu D
46026
1354
34.0
Jempol District
Bandar Seri Jempol
Jempol M
127181
1485
85.6
Kuala Pilah District
Kuala Pilah
Kuala Pilah D
70324
1027
68.5
Port Dickson District
Port Dickson
Port Dickson M
128657
583
220.7
Rembau District
Rembau
Rembau D
47278
406
116.4
Seremban District
Seremban
Seremban C
692407
954
725.8
Tampin District
Tampin
Tampin D
88101
851
103.5
Pahang
Bentong District
Bentong
Bentong M
116799
1831
63.8
Bera District
Bandar Bera
Bera D
98137
2214
44.3
Cameron Highlands District
Tanah Rata
Cameron Highlands D
39004
712
54.8
Jerantut District
Jerantut
Jerantut D
96006
7561
12.7
Kuantan District
Kuantan
Kuantan C
548014
2960
185.1
Lipis District
Kuala Lipis
Lipis D
96620
5198
18.6
Maran District
Maran
Maran D
112330
1917
58.6
Pekan District
Pekan
Pekan M
121158
3805
31.8
Raub District
Raub
Raub D
96139
2269
42.4
Rompin District
Kuala Rompin
Rompin D Tioman DA
98065
5247
18.7
Temerloh District
Temerloh
Temerloh M
169023
2251
75.1
Penang
Central Seberang Perai District
Bukit Mertajam
Seberang Perai C
422985
238
1,777.2
North Seberang Perai District
Kepala Batas
Seberang Perai C
339132
268
1,265.4
Northeast Penang Island District
George Town
Penang Island C
556557
126
4,417.1
South Seberang Perai District
Sungai Jawi
Seberang Perai C
183996
242
760.3
Southwest Penang Island District
Balik Pulau
Penang Island C
237735
175
1,358.5
Perak
Bagan Datuk District
Bagan Datuk
Teluk Intan M
82785
974
85.0
Batang Padang District
Tapah
Tapah D
124049
1794
69.1
Hilir Perak District
Teluk Intan
Teluk Intan M
141959
821
172.9
Hulu Perak District
Gerik
Gerik D Lenggong D Pengkalan Hulu D
95076
6613
14.4
Kampar District
Kampar
Kampar D
98732
667
148.0
Kerian District
Parit Buntar
Kerian D
166352
938
177.3
Kinta District
Batu Gajah
Ipoh C Batu Gajah D
888767
1305
681.0
Kuala Kangsar District
Kuala Kangsar
Kuala Kangsar M
176060
2562
68.7
Larut, Matang and Selama District [ note 2]
Taiping
Taiping M Selama D
304023
2115
143.7
Manjung District
Seri Manjung
Manjung M
246977
1126
219.3
Muallim District
Tanjung Malim
Tanjong Malim D
76688
949
80.8
Perak Tengah District
Seri Iskandar
Perak Tengah D
94573
1282
73.8
Perlis
—
Kangar
Kangar M
284885
819
347.8
Selangor
Gombak District
Bandar Baru Selayang
Selayang M Ampang Jaya M
942336
653
1,443.1
Hulu Langat District
Bandar Baru Bangi
Kajang M Ampang Jaya M
1400461
833
1,681.2
Hulu Selangor District
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Hulu Selangor M
243029
1749
139.0
Klang District
Klang
Klang C Shah Alam C
1088942
632
1,723.0
Kuala Langat District
Teluk Datok
Kuala Langat M
307787
855
360.0
Kuala Selangor District
Kuala Selangor
Kuala Selangor M
281753
1187
237.4
Petaling District
Subang
Petaling Jaya C Shah Alam C Subang Jaya C
2298123
487
4,718.9
Sabak Bernam District
Sabak
Sabak Bernam D
107057
1004
106.6
Sepang District
Salak Tinggi
Sepang M
324935
552
588.7
Terengganu
Besut District
Kampung Raja
Besut D
154168
1234
124.9
Dungun District
Kuala Dungun
Dungun M
158130
2735
57.8
Hulu Terengganu District
Kuala Berang
Hulu Terengganu D
69881
3875
18.0
Kemaman District
Chukai
Kemaman M
215582
2536
85.0
Kuala Nerus District
Kuala Nerus
Kuala Terengganu C
145643
398
365.9
Kuala Terengganu District
Kuala Terengganu
Kuala Terengganu C
229780
210
1,094.2
Marang District
Marang
Marang D
116605
667
174.8
Setiu District
Bandar Permaisuri
Setiu D
59651
1304
45.7
East Malaysia (Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan)[ edit ]
11 states and two Federal Territories of the Peninsular Malaysia are divided into mukim (precinct for Putrajaya) that been administered by the district office and also the state government . For a list, see Category:Mukims of Malaysia . However, two states and one federal territory in East Malaysia is not divided into mukim.
Districts in Johor
Districts in Perak
Districts in Selangor
^ figures include Lojing Sub-district
^ figures include Selama Sub-district
^ gazetted as full district on March 30, 2022[ 12]
^ a b c d e new district declared December 2021[ 18]
^ "National Land Code" (PDF) . Malaysian federal government : 54. 2020 – via Food and Agriculture Organization .
^ Zulkifli, Nur Amalina; Abdul Rahman, Alias; van Oosterom, Peter; Tan, Liat Choon; Jamil, Hasan; Teng, Chee Hua; Looi, Kam Seng; Chan, Keat Lim (December 2015). "The importance of Malaysian Land Administration Domain Model country profile in land policy". Land Use Policy . 49 : 649– 659. Bibcode :2015LUPol..49..649Z . doi :10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.07.015 .
^ "Malaysia Districts" . Statoids.com. Retrieved 3 November 2010 .
^ Adnan, M Z; Suratman, R; Samsudin, S (March 2021). "Key geographical features on malaysia's land tax system: a comparison study in negeri sembilan, malaysia" . IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science . 683 (1): 012095. Bibcode :2021E&ES..683a2095A . doi :10.1088/1755-1315/683/1/012095 .
^ Yasin, Muhammad Yazrin; Zain, Muhammad Azmi Bin Mohd; Hassan, Muhammad Haniff Bin (15 December 2022). "Urbanization and growth of Greater Kuala Lumpur: Issues and recommendations for urban growth management" . Southeast Asia . 22 (2): 4– 19. doi :10.1108/seamj-02-2022-b1002 .
^ Ariffin, Azman; Mukhelas, Haziq Kamal; Hamid Mar Iman, Abd.; Desa, Ghazali; Mohammad, Izran Sarrazin (2014). "Spatial-Based Sustainability Assessment of Urban Neighbourhoods: A Case Study of Johor Bahru City Council, Malaysia". Geoinformation for Informed Decisions . Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. pp. 85– 101. doi :10.1007/978-3-319-03644-1_6 . ISBN 978-3-319-03643-4 .
^ McIntyre, Ian (26 January 2024). "Nearly half of Penang island's non-built land under forest cover, says council" . The Vibes . Retrieved 22 December 2024 .
^ Goh, Ban Lee (7 October 2019). "Seberang Perai comes of age" . The Sun . Retrieved 22 December 2024 .
^ "Persempadanan" . Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (Election Commission of Malaysia) . Retrieved 20 September 2020 .
^ a b "Key Findings of Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2020" (pdf) (in Malay and English). Department of Statistics, Malaysia. ISBN 978-967-2000-85-3 .
^ Dzulkifli, Hayati (15 October 2023). "Membakut now a full district" . Daily Express Malaysia .
^ Lian Cheng; Peter Sibon (23 January 2016). "Call for Belaga to have own district council" . The Borneo Post. Retrieved 19 June 2018 .
^ "Launch of Bukit Mabong, Tunoh, Kapit by the Chief Minister of Sarawak" . Sarawak Regional Corridor Development Authority. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2016 .
^ "Rakan Sarawak October 2001" . www.sarawak.com.my . Archived from the original on 6 June 2009.
^ "Laman Web Rasmi Majlis Daerah Subis" .
^ Abdullah, Mohamad (6 October 2015). "Telang Usan District Office a game changer" . Borneo Post Online .
^ "INFOGRAPHICS: NEW DISTRICTS IN SARAWAK" . BERNAMA . 13 December 2021.
^ Lian Cheng (11 November 2016). "It's Kota Samarahan Municipal Council effective today" . The Borneo Post. Retrieved 19 June 2018 .
^ "Laman Web Rasmi Majlis Perbandaran Kota Samarahan" . mpks.sarawak.gov.my .
^ Samuel Aubrey (12 April 2015). "Serian now a division" . The Borneo Post. Retrieved 15 May 2015 .
Lo Vullo, Eleonora; Ho, Chin Siong; Chau, Loon Wai; Monforti-Ferrario, Fabio; Palermo, Valentina; Rivas Calvete, Silvia; Bertoldi, Paolo (2022). How to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in Southeast Asia-Malaysia: A practical guide for Malaysian local governments : Guidebook . Publications Office of the European Union. doi :10.2760/50282 . ISBN 978-92-76-52424-3 .