Time in Malaysia

Malaysia Standard Time (MST) or Waktu Piawai Malaysia (WPM) or Malaysia Time (MYT) is a standard time used in Malaysia. It is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and Coordinated Universal Time. The local mean time in Kuala Lumpur was originally GMT+06:46:48. Peninsular Malaysia used this local mean time until 1880, when they changed to Singapore mean time GMT+06:55:24. Between the end of the Second World War and the formation of Malaysia in 16 September 1963, it was known as British Malayan Standard Time, which was UTC+07:30 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. At 2330 hrs local time of 31 December 1981 people in Peninsular Malaysia adjusted their clocks and watches ahead by 30 minutes to become 0000 hrs local time of 1 January 1982, to match the time in use in East Malaysia which is UTC+08:00.

Time changing chronicles (Peninsular Malaysia)

Period in use	Time offset from GMT	Name of Time (unofficial)
1 January 1901 - 31 May 1905	UTC+06:46:48	British Malayan Mean Time
1 June 1905 - 31 December 1932	UTC+07:00:00	Standard Zone Time
1 January 1933 - 31 August 1941	UTC+07:20:00	Daylight Standard Time
1 September 1941 - 15 February 1942	UTC+07:30:00	Daylight Standard Time
16 February 1942 - 12 September 1945	UTC+09:00:00	Tokyo Standard Time
13 September 1945 - 31 December 1981	UTC+07:30:00	Daylight Standard Time/Malaysia Standard Time
13 September 1945 - 31 December 1981	UTC+07:30:00	Daylight Standard Time/East Malaysia Standard Time
13 September 1945 - 30 April 1982	UTC+07:30:00	Daylight Standard Time/Peninsular Malaysia Standard Time
1 January 1982 – Present	UTC+08:00:00	Malaysia Standard Time
1 January 1982 – Present	UTC+08:00:00	East Malaysia Standard Time
1 May 1982 – Present	UTC+08:00:00	Peninsular Malaysia Standard Time

Time in East Malaysia

The local mean time in Kota Kinabalu is UTC+07:44:20. Sabah and Sarawak used local mean time until 1926. They then changed to UTC+07:30. In 1933 when West Malaysia changed to UTC+07:20 they changed to UTC+08:00 with a 20-minute time change between 14 September and 14 December. During the Japanese occupation based in Tokyo time (UTC+09:00) was used, before changing back to UTC+08:00 but without the daylight saving time in 1945.

   Zone Asia/Kuching
   UTC+07:44:20    -       Kota Kinabalu Mean Time           1926 1 March
   UTC+07:30:00    -       Perak Standard Time               1933 1 January
   UTC+09:00:00    -       Japan Standard Time               1942 16 February
   UTC+07:30:00    -       Perak Standard Time               1945 1 September
   UTC+08:00:00    -       Sabah Standard Time               1963 1 September
   UTC+08:00:00    -       Malaysia Standard Time            1982 1 January
   UTC+08:00:00    -       East Malaysia Standard Time       1982 1 January
   UTC+08:00:00    -       Peninsular Malaysia Standard Time 1982 1 May

   # Rule  NAME     FROM  TO    ON      AT    SAVE LETTER/S
   Rule    North Borneo  1935  1941  14 September UTC+07:20:00  UTC+00:20:00 Singapore Standard Time
   Rule    North Borneo  1935  1941  15 December  UTC+07:20:00  UTC+00:20:00 Malaysia Standard Time

The daylight saving time from 14 September to 14 December in the years from 1935 to 1941 is very interesting. On 3 November the equation of time reaches a maximum of UTC+16:25. This seems to be an attempt at reducing the variation in the time of the sunrise by looking at how the analemma rises in the tropics.

Sarawak use mean time (UTC+07:20) until February 1989 until it was joint to Malaysia, UTC+08:00 is used instead.

History

• Prior to 1 January 1901 - locations in British Malaya with an Astronomical Observatory would adopt the local mean time based on the Observatory's geographical position. Penang, Malacca and Singapore all had their own observatories; hence, the three Straits Settlements had their respective Local Mean Time, with minutes of differences amongst the three locations.

• 1901 - On 1 January 1901 an Singapore Local Mean Time (Singapore Mean Time) was adopted by Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States as the Standard Time. This was introduced because railway, postal and telegraph services were becoming more common and a single standard time will ease scheduling problems. Singapore was chosen because it was the administrative HQ for the SS and the FMS then.
• 1905 - On 1 June 1905 the mean time of the 105th meridian was adopted by Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States as the new Standard Time. This decision was made way back in February 1904. The mean time of the 105th meridian is UTC+07:00 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (i.e. Local Mean Time over Greenwich Royal Observatory near London, United Kingdom). This Standard Time went into effect when the Time Ball on Fort Canning was completed and became operational on the same day.
• 1920 - In 1920 a bill was introduced in the Straits Settlements Legislative Council to adopt “Daylight Saving Time” just like in United Kingdom. The proposed time was 30 min forward of the mean time of the 105th meridian east, i.e. UTC+07:30 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. The reason for proposing this was to allow more leisure time for the labourers after work. This bill was dropped after the first reading.
• 1932 – 12 years after the 1920 introduction of the “Daylight Saving Bill” the same bill was reintroduced to the Legislative Council. One of the original reasons for dropping the 1920 Bill was the argument that 30 minutes was too much change. Therefore in 1932 the proposed shift was reduced by 10 minutes, down to 20 minutes ahead of the mean time of the 105th meridian. This was a compromise, which was perceived to be more acceptable to the overly cautious Legislative Council members. After 2 debating sessions, this Bill was passed and became Ordinance No. 21 of 1932. The short title was Daylight Saving Ordinance, 1932. This was to come into force on the first day of January 1933 and was to be in force during the year 1933.
• 1933 - 1 January 1933, the Daylight Saving Ordinance came into effect on New Year's Day. This Ordinance as passed was in effect for the year 1933 only. Daylight Saving Time was 20 minutes faster than Standard Time i.e. UTC+07:20 hours minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
• 1934-1935 - For the years 1934 and 1935 the Daylight Saving Ordinance in 1932 was extended throughout both years by Gazette Notifications.
• 1935 - In 1935, the Daylight Saving Ordinance in 1932 was amended by Ordinance No. 5 of 1935—The Daylight Saving (Amendment) Ordinance, 1935. The year limit 1933 was removed, turning the ordinance into permanent effect without the need for the Governor to declare any extensions. The time of UTC+07:20 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time became permanent “Standard Time” with this amendment. The Survey Department since 1935 by Annual Report advised readers to adjust their clocks appropriately by 20 minutes for the year 1936.
• 1936 - The Daylight Saving Ordinance became Chapter 170 in the 1936 Edition of The Laws of the Straits Settlements.
• 1941 - In 1941, the Daylight Saving Ordinance was amended yet again by Ordinance 33 of 1941. Daylight Saving Time would henceforth be 30 min ahead of the mean time of the 105th meridian (10 min more than the original DST), i.e. UTC+07:30 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. This came into effect on 1 September 1941. Interesting to note that this was the original DST proposed in 1920 and was met with much opposition then.
• 1942 - 16 February 1942, Japanese formally occupied British Malaya. British Malayan time moved ahead by 1 hour 30 minutes to conform with Tokyo Standard Time which is UTC+09:00 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
• 1945 - 12 September 1945, Japanese formally surrendered in Singapore. British Malayan time reverted to “Pre-invasion” standard: UTC+07:30 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. The exact dates for the change to and from Tokyo Standard Time have not been ascertained yet. The dates given here are based on educated speculation.

Standardisation of time in Malaysia

Malaysia declared that people in West Malaysia would move their clocks ahead by 30 min to match the time in use in East Malaysia (UTC+08:00 hrs an UTC+08:00:00 ahead of Greenwich Mean Time) in 31 December 1981. However many found this to be awkward as most of Malaysia (roughly 80%) live in West Malaysia rather than in East Malaysia. The time was switched on 1 January 1982 at 6:00 am (old time) to 6:30 am (new time).

Timekeeper

On 1 January 1990, the Malaysian Cabinet appointed the National Metrology Laboratory (SIRIM) as the official timekeeper of Malaysia. The Malaysian Standard Time is derived from five atomic clocks maintained by SIRIM.

References

External links

• Malaysian Standard Time (Official site)
• Time Zones in Malaysia