Malaysia is set to establish a centralised National Address System (NAS), a comprehensive database that will consolidate and standardise over 12 million addresses across the country.
According to The Star, Ahmad Aswadi Yusof, digital innovation and geospatial division head at the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), highlighted the challenges posed by the lack of standardisation in address listings, particularly for emergency response services. He referenced instances where delayed assistance resulted from difficulties in locating addresses within existing systems.
Ahmad Aswadi outlined MCMC’s plan to develop a NAS as Malaysia’s centralised address database. The system will function as an open database, allowing users to verify and update address-related information. Additionally, it will enable geocoding—converting addresses into precise latitude and longitude coordinates.
Ahmad Aswadi presented a three-year roadmap for the initiative, beginning with a pilot project in collaboration with local governments this year. By 2026, MCMC aims to develop and launch the NAS, with full functionality expected the following year. He emphasised that the system will prioritise privacy, disclosing only location details such as street names and numbers while excluding personal data like homeowner names.
Dr. Mazlan Abbas, CEO of IoT solutions provider Favoriot, discussed potential technologies to support the NAS initiative. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) could analyse and visualise mapping data, while AI could help interpret unstructured information. However, he noted that human oversight remains essential in the process.
Datin Habsah Nordin, head of PETRONAS Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence, explored how AI could enhance the NAS initiative. Trained AI models could suggest improvements, clean datasets, and merge duplicate entries. She also proposed leveraging AI-driven satellite imagery to monitor urban development and ensure the address database remains current amid rapid growth.