Malaysia is a country largely surrounded by large bodies of water, most notably by the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, that have been used extensively for maritime transport as early as the 15th century. Numerous lighthouses were erected during present-day Malaysia's rule by the Portuguese Empire, the Dutch Empire and the British Empire (which oversaw the greatest number of new lighthouses built), and, later, the government of Malaysia, to provide navigation in and out of ports or through dangerous seas. Many of these lighthouses are situated on small islands and headlands.
The following lists lighthouses situated within the borders of Malaysia.
Peninsular Malaysia
East coast
Lighthouses situated on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia are frequently used for navigation at the South China Sea, as well as beacons into minor ports along the coast.
The west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, which faces the Strait of Malacca, contains a large concentration of lighthouses aimed at navigation through the narrow strait, as well as serving to direct ships into major ports such as Port Klang, Malacca and Penang. Lighthouses in Johor are also used to guide ships into Singaporean waters, from which Singaporean counterparts provide navigation past the island or into the Port of Singapore. Most of the west coast lighthouses, as are Singapore's, are referred to as "The Straits Settlement Lighthouses",[1] named after the former British-ruled territories that encompassed Singapore, Penang, Malacca and Dinding.
Sabah, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo, faces the South China Sea to the northwest, and the Sulu Sea to the northeast. The lighthouses are primarily used to navigate ships into smaller harbours such as Labuan and Tawau.
Sarawak, another Malaysian state situated on the island of Borneo, operates lighthouses facing the South China Sea, which are all situated on headlands.
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