Malaysia/Other tagging aspects

This section will outline the details recommending the way to tag the rest of elements in Malaysia.

Names

Multilingual names

See also: multilingual names

Official road signs (road names, places and any other points of interest) mainly use the Malay language. Without doubt, this is the value that goes into the name=* tag. There is an exception, for buildings (or places) that features English (and any other language) for example: shopping centres, burial grounds, places of worship, etc. So, in this case, the name=* is what is displayed e.g. on the sign board.

To describe an element's multilingual names, one can make use of these:

• name:ms=* : Name in Malay
  • name:ms-Arab=* : Name in Jawi script.
• name:en=* : Name in English
• name:zh=* : Name in Chinese (Simplified Chinese first)
  • name:zh-Hans=* : If the place sign uses Traditional Chinese, this tag can be used to input the name in Simplified Chinese
  • name:zh-Hant=* : If the place sign uses Simplified Chinese, this tag can be used to input the name in Traditional Chinese
  • name:zh-Latn-pinyin=* may also be included
• name:ta=* : Name in Tamil
• name:th=* : Name in Thai
• loc_name=* can be useful to describe something in a local context only. There might be some (quirky) nicknames in the local dialect attributed to an element. This is the suitable tag to do so.
  

The slippy map in the main OpenStreetMap website displays only the value from name=*. To see English names of a particular element (if available), one can benefit from these websites:

• Bilingual map website
• Mapquest

Apps such as OSMAnd that uses OSM's database can be set to show the names of places either in the local language, or English names (if available).

We do not adopt dual or triple names yet in the name=* field, because this might be this practice seems like tagging for the renderer (forcing something to be displayed on the OSM slippy map). Let's say, the Parkson department store in Google Maps would not be displayed as Parkson 百盛, isn't it?

Abbreviations

It is strongly advised to give a full name for every element in the map database. Use short_name=*, for every possible short names, separate them with a semicolon (;).

Click here for a list of common abbreviations used in Malaysian street signs.

Tagging example

Examples	Tagging example
	name=Klinik Pergigian Dr Norashikin name:zh=偌拉牙科药房 name:ms-Arab=کلینیك ڤرݢيݢيان دقتور نوراشیکین name:ta=Dr தோரா பல் கிளினிக் amenity=dentist
	name=Fahrenheit 88 name:en=Fahrenheit 88 name:zh=華氏88 shop=mall building=retail
	name=Sri Maha Mariamman Temple name:ta=ஸ்ரீ மாரியம்மன் கோவில் amenity=place_of_worship place_of_worship=temple religion=hindu
	name=Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Labu short_name=SMAPL;SMAP Labu;SMA Persekutuan Labu old_name=Sekolah Menengah Agama Wilayah Persekutuan name:ar=المعهد الإسلامي الفدرالي amenity=school

Administration

• place=* node should be placed at a location which is widely known to all locals e.g. Location of government (Pejabat Dewan Bandaraya, Pejabat Majlis Daerah, Pejabat Penghulu Mukim), Old Town "Pekan Lama" or any other populated centre.
• Total population instead of urban population should be written in population=*, add population:date=yyyy-mm-dd if possible.

Admin level	Admin boundary type	Corresponding place tag	Comment
2	Nation		Malaysia
3	Sarawak and Sabah (proposed, if constitution amendment that turn Sabah, Sarawak into territories being passed)		Proposed territories "wilayah": Sabah/Sarawak
4	State Negeri	place=state	13 States (negeri) 3 Federal territories (wilayah persekutuan)
5	Division Bahagian	place=region place=city for division seat (e.g. Bintulu)	17 Divisions (Sabah and Sarawak) Special case (Seberang Perai and George Town)
6	District Daerah (Kelantan=Jajahan)	place=district	162 Districts
7	Subdistrict Daerah Kecil	place=town	undefined
8	Mukim Township	place=town (major settlements, e.g. Mukim Benut, Pontian) or place=quarter (Mukims with a smaller population, e.g. Mukim Jelutong, Johor Bahru)	undefined
9	none
10	Village/Neighborhood community (without official boundary) kampung/taman	place=village (developed kampung, commonly will have a postcode e.g. Lubok China, Melaka) place=hamlet (kampung, e.g. Kampung Selayang Baru, Selangor) place=suburb (for big residential area, e.g. Bandar Kinrara, Selangor) place=quarter (for subdivisions within a big residential area (seksyen/presint) e.g. SS15, Selangor) place=neighbourhood (taman)	undefined

For Local Government

• City Council level Cities (Majlis Bandaraya): place=city+population=* (write total population of the whole city council)
  • Special case (Seberang Perai and Pulau Pinang): place=region (write the population of the district (e.g. Timur Laut) on the place=city node, where the seat of the district is located, e.g. George Town)
• Municipal Council level Cities (Majlis Perbandaran): place=town at municipal seat with population
  • Special case: If the municipal population exceeds 400,000, use place=city at municipal seat and DO NOT add population=*! (in view of huge-population municipals will shade more significant cities) (e.g. Kajang, Klang, Ampang Jaya, Sungai Petani)
• District Council (Majlis Daerah): place=town at district seat without population (in view of huge-population districts will shade more significant municipals)

Waterways

Natural waterways

Tag	Element	Natural waterways	Photo
waterway=riverbank		Used for larger rivers, to define an area between the opposite riverbanks.
waterway=river		A moving body of water, usually the main ones. For smaller, shallower waterways, consider using waterway=stream instead. In Sabah and Sarawak, the tag boat=* can be included where appropriate. Key words: sungai, alor.
waterway=stream		Naturally formed, narrow waterway. Wider but shallow waterways could be considered as well (e.g. if the water is not deep and people can walk through it). Key words: anak sungai, charok.

Man-made waterways

Tag	Element	Man-made waterways	Photo
waterway=canal		If the name of the waterway contains the word "Terusan" or "Tali Air" or if it looks like a typical canal, it should be tagged as a "canal". Key words: terusan, tali air and maybe sometimes parit (especially southern states).	N/A
waterway=ditch		If the waterway is significantly smaller than a typical canal, chances are good that it is a "ditch".	N/A
waterway=drain		If it is made out of concrete or build from other hard materials, it is maybe a "drain". A drain must not necessarily contain water all the time. In dry seasons it could be dry and only be filled while it is raining! If the width exceeds 3 meters and the drain does contain water most of the time consider using waterway=canal instead.

Railways

Tag	Element	Railways	Photo
railway=rail		From the railways page, "Full sized passenger or freight trains in the standard gauge for the country or state." Examples: All KTMB ETS/intercity services KTM Komuter services across the Klang Valley: KTM Batu Caves-Pulau Sebang Line KTM Batu Caves-Pulau Sebang Line KTM Tanjung Malim-Pelabuhan Klang Line KTM Tanjung Malim-Pelabuhan Klang Line Limited express commuter services ERL KLIA Ekspres Line ERL KLIA Ekspres Line ERL KLIA Transit Line ERL KLIA Transit Line KTM KL Sentral-Terminal Skypark Line KTM KL Sentral-Terminal Skypark Line
railway=subway		"High-capacity public transport generally used in urban areas" Read also subway on Wikipedia. Examples: Rapid KL's Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit lines. Examples: MRT Kajang line MRT Kajang line MRT Putrajaya Line MRT Putrajaya Line RTS link RTS link
railway=light_rail		"A city passenger rail service running mostly grade separated." Read also rapid transit on Wikipedia. Examples: Rapid KL lines across the Klang Valley. Examples: LRT Ampang Line LRT Ampang Line LRT Sri Petaling Line LRT Sri Petaling Line LRT Kelana Jaya Line LRT Kelana Jaya Line LRT Johan Setia line (under construction) LRT Johan Setia line (under construction)
railway=monorail		"A railway with only a single rail, often inner city and above street level." The only example is the KL Monorail Line KL Monorail Line.	File:An example of Monorail.png