The following is alist of capitals in Malaysia. It describes thenational,state, anddistrict capitals ofMalaysia.
The national capital of Malaysia isKuala Lumpur. It remains the primary cultural, business and financial centre in Malaysia. The Parliament of Malaysia and the official residence of theKing are also located in Kuala Lumpur. In 2001, the seat of government was moved from Kuala Lumpur to the planned city ofPutrajaya which from then on served as the federal administrative centre, sometimes referred to as the administrative capital. Both these cities, together withLabuan, have special status asFederal Territories of Malaysia.
Article 154(1) of theFederal Constitution states that unless been declared otherwise by the Parliament, Kuala Lumpur shall remain as the federal capital.
Each state in Malaysia has its own state capital, where the state administration is carried out by each respective state government that is formed after winning the elections. The threeFederal Territories of Malaysia –Kuala Lumpur,Labuan andPutrajaya – are headed by theYang di-Pertuan Agong and administered by the Department of the Federal Territories under thePrime Minister's Department.[1]
All the states in Peninsular Malaysia except forMalacca,Penang, are constitutionalmonarchies. The two andSabah andSarawak are non-monarchical states, which are headed by aYang di-Pertua Negeri (Governors). Thus, those states with constitutional monarchies have royal capitals or seats where the palace or official residences of the monarchs are situated. These capitals are sometimes different from the state's administrative capitals. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong resides in Kuala Lumpur.
| States of Malaya | Administrative capital | Royal capital | Historical capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johor Bahru | Muar | Johor Lama (Kota Tinggi) | |
| Alor Setar | Anak Bukit | Lembah Bujang | |
| Kota Bharu | Kubang Kerian | Kota Lama | |
| Malacca City | - | ||
| Seremban | Seri Menanti | ||
| Kuantan | Pekan | Pekan (1889–1898),Kuala Lipis (1898–1955) | |
| George Town | - | ||
| Ipoh | Kuala Kangsar | Teluk Intan (1528–1877),Taiping (1877–1937) | |
| Kangar | Arau | ||
| Shah Alam | Klang | Kuala Selangor (1743–1827),Jugra (1827–1875),Klang (1875–1880) & (1974–1978),Kuala Lumpur (1880–1974) | |
| Kuala Terengganu | Kuala Terengganu |
| Borneo States | Administrative capital | Historical capital |
|---|---|---|
| Kota Kinabalu | Kudat (1881–1884),Sandakan (1884–1945) | |
| Kuching |
| Federal Territories | Administrative capital |
|---|---|
| Victoria |