Malaysia Open Data MCP
MCP Endpoint: https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/mcp
Analytics Dashboard: https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/analytics/dashboard
MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Malaysia's Open Data APIs, providing easy access to government datasets and collections.
Do note that this is NOT an official MCP server by the Government of Malaysia or anyone from Malaysia's Open Data/Jabatan Digital Negara/Ministry of Digital team.
Features
- Enhanced Unified Search with flexible tokenization and synonym expansion
- Intelligent query handling with term normalization
- Support for plurals and common prefixes (e.g., "e" in "epayment")
- Smart prioritization for different data types
- Parquet File Support using pure JavaScript
- Parse Parquet files directly in the browser or Node.js
- Support for BROTLI compression
- Intelligent date field handling for empty date objects
- Increased row limits (up to 500 rows) for comprehensive data retrieval
- Fallback to metadata estimation when parsing fails
- Automatic dashboard URL mapping for visualization
- Hybrid Data Access Architecture
- Pre-generated static indexes for efficient searching
- Dynamic API calls for detailed metadata
- Multi-Provider Geocoding
- Support for Google Maps, GrabMaps, and Nominatim (OpenStreetMap)
- Intelligent service selection based on location and available API keys
- GrabMaps optimization for locations in Malaysia
- Automatic fallback between providers
- Comprehensive Data Sources
- Malaysia's Data Catalogue with rich metadata
- Interactive Dashboards for data visualization
- Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) data
- Weather forecast and warnings
- Public transport and GTFS data
- Multi-Provider Malaysian Geocoding
- Optimized for Malaysian addresses and locations
- Three-tier geocoding system: GrabMaps, Google Maps, and Nominatim
- Prioritizes local knowledge with GrabMaps for better Malaysian coverage
- Automatic fallback to Nominatim when no API keys are provided
Architecture
This MCP server implements a hybrid approach for efficient data access:
- Pre-generated Static Indexes for listing and searching datasets and dashboards
- Dynamic API Calls only when specific dataset or dashboard details are requested
This approach provides several benefits:
- Faster search and listing operations
- Reduced API calls to external services
- Consistent data access patterns
- Up-to-date detailed information when needed
Documentation
- TOOLS.md - Detailed information about available tools and best practices
- PROMPT.md - AI integration guidelines and usage patterns
AI Integration
When integrating this MCP server with AI models:
- Use the unified search tool first - Always start with
search_allfor any data queries - Follow the correct URL patterns - Use
https://data.gov.my/...andhttps://open.dosm.gov.my/... - Leverage Parquet file tools - Use
parse_parquet_fileto access data directly orget_parquet_infofor metadata - Use the hybrid approach - Static indexes for listing/searching, API calls for details
- Consider dashboard visualization - For complex data, use the dashboard links provided by
find_dashboard_for_parquet - Leverage the multi-provider Malaysian geocoding - For Malaysian location queries, the system automatically selects the best provider (GrabMaps, Google Maps, or Nominatim) with fallback to Nominatim when no API keys are configured
Refer to PROMPT.md for comprehensive AI integration guidelines.
Installation
npm install
Quick Start (Hosted Server)
The easiest way to use this MCP server is via the hosted endpoint. No installation required!
Server URL:
https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/mcp
Using Your Own API Keys
You can provide your own API keys via URL query parameters:
https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/mcp?googleMapsApiKey=YOUR_KEY
Or via headers:
X-Google-Maps-Api-Key: YOUR_KEYX-GrabMaps-Api-Key: YOUR_KEYX-AWS-Access-Key-Id: YOUR_KEYX-AWS-Secret-Access-Key: YOUR_KEYX-AWS-Region: ap-southeast-5
Supported Query Parameters:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
googleMapsApiKey | Google Maps API key for geocoding |
grabMapsApiKey | GrabMaps API key for Southeast Asia geocoding |
awsAccessKeyId | AWS Access Key ID for AWS Location Service |
awsSecretAccessKey | AWS Secret Access Key |
awsRegion | AWS Region (default: ap-southeast-5) |
⚠️ Important: GrabMaps Requirements
To use GrabMaps geocoding, you need ALL FOUR parameters:
grabMapsApiKeyawsAccessKeyIdawsSecretAccessKeyawsRegionGrabMaps uses AWS Location Service under the hood, so AWS credentials are required alongside the GrabMaps API key.
Client Configuration
For Claude Desktop / Cursor / Windsurf, add to your MCP configuration:
{
"mcpServers": {
"malaysia-opendata": {
"transport": "streamable-http",
"url": "https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/mcp"
}
}
}
With your own API key:
{
"mcpServers": {
"malaysia-opendata": {
"transport": "streamable-http",
"url": "https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/mcp?googleMapsApiKey=YOUR_KEY"
}
}
}
Self-Hosted (VPS)
If you prefer to run your own instance, see deploy/DEPLOYMENT.md for detailed VPS deployment instructions with Docker and Nginx.
Analytics Dashboard
The hosted server includes a built-in analytics dashboard:
Dashboard URL: https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/analytics/dashboard
Analytics Endpoints
| Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|
/analytics | Full analytics summary (JSON) |
/analytics/tools | Detailed tool usage stats (JSON) |
/analytics/dashboard | Visual dashboard with charts (HTML) |
The dashboard tracks:
- Total requests and tool calls
- Tool usage distribution
- Hourly request trends (last 24 hours)
- Requests by endpoint
- Top clients by user agent
- Recent tool calls feed
Auto-refreshes every 30 seconds.
Available Tools
Data Catalogue
list_datasets: Lists available datasets in the Data Catalogueget_dataset: Gets data from a specific dataset in the Data Cataloguesearch_datasets: Searches for datasets in the Data Catalogue
Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM)
list_dosm_datasets: Lists available datasets from DOSMget_dosm_dataset: Gets data from a specific DOSM dataset
Parquet File Handling
parse_parquet_file: Parse and display data from a Parquet file URL- Supports up to 500 rows for comprehensive data analysis
- Automatically handles empty date objects with appropriate formatting
- Processes BigInt values for proper JSON serialization
get_parquet_info: Get metadata and structure information about a Parquet filefind_dashboard_for_parquet: Find the corresponding dashboard URL for a Parquet file
Weather
get_weather_forecast: Gets weather forecast for Malaysiaget_weather_warnings: Gets current weather warnings for Malaysiaget_earthquake_warnings: Gets earthquake warnings for Malaysia
Transport
list_transport_agencies: Lists available transport agencies with GTFS dataget_transport_data: Gets GTFS data for a specific transport agency
GTFS Parsing
parse_gtfs_static: Parses GTFS Static data (ZIP files with CSV data) for a specific transport providerparse_gtfs_realtime: Parses GTFS Realtime data (Protocol Buffer format) for vehicle positionsget_transit_routes: Extracts route information from GTFS dataget_transit_stops: Extracts stop information from GTFS data, optionally filtered by route
Test
hello: A simple test tool to verify that the MCP server is working correctly
Data-Catalogue Information Retrieval
The MCP server provides robust handling for data-catalogue information retrieval:
Date Handling in Parquet Files
- Empty Date Objects: The system automatically detects and handles empty date objects in parquet files
- Dataset-Specific Handling: Special handling for known datasets like
employment_sectorwith annual data from 2001-2022 - Pattern Recognition: Detects date patterns in existing data to maintain consistent formatting
- Increased Row Limits: Supports up to 500 rows (increased from 100) for more comprehensive data analysis
BigInt Processing
- Automatic Serialization: BigInt values are automatically converted to strings for proper JSON serialization
- Type Preservation: Original types are preserved in the schema information
Schema Detection
- Automatic Type Inference: Detects column types including special handling for date fields
- Consistent Representation: Ensures date fields are consistently represented as strings
Usage Examples
Get Weather Forecast
const result = await tools.get_weather_forecast({
location: "Kuala Lumpur",
days: 3
});
Search Datasets
const result = await tools.search_datasets({
query: "population",
limit: 5
});
Parse GTFS Data
// Parse GTFS Static data
const staticData = await tools.parse_gtfs_static({
provider: "ktmb"
});
// Get real-time vehicle positions
const realtimeData = await tools.parse_gtfs_realtime({
provider: "prasarana",
category: "rapid-rail-kl"
});
// Get transit routes
const routes = await tools.get_transit_routes({
provider: "mybas-johor"
});
// Get stops for a specific route
const stops = await tools.get_transit_stops({
provider: "prasarana",
category: "rapid-rail-kl",
route_id: "LRT-KJ"
});
API Rate Limits
Please be aware of rate limits for the underlying APIs. Excessive requests may be throttled.
Project Structure
src/index.ts: Main MCP server implementation and tool registrationsrc/http-server.ts: Streamable HTTP server for VPS deploymentsrc/datacatalogue.tools.ts: Data Catalogue API toolssrc/dashboards.tools.ts: Dashboard access and search toolssrc/dosm.tools.ts: Department of Statistics Malaysia toolssrc/unified-search.tools.ts: Enhanced unified search with tokenization and synonym expansionsrc/parquet.tools.ts: Parquet file parsing and metadata toolssrc/weather.tools.ts: Weather forecast and warnings toolssrc/transport.tools.ts: Transport and GTFS data toolssrc/gtfs.tools.ts: GTFS parsing and analysis toolssrc/flood.tools.ts: Flood warning and monitoring toolsDockerfile: Docker configuration for VPS deploymentdocker-compose.yml: Docker Compose configurationdeploy/: Deployment files (nginx config, deployment guide)package.json: Project dependencies and scriptstsconfig.json: TypeScript configuration
Local Development
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Run HTTP server in development mode
npm run dev:http
# Or build and run production version
npm run build
npm run start:http
# Test health endpoint
curl http://localhost:8080/health
# Test MCP endpoint
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/mcp \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list"}'
Troubleshooting
Container Issues
# Check container status
docker compose ps
# View logs
docker compose logs -f
# Restart container
docker compose restart
Test MCP Connection
# List tools
curl -X POST https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/mcp \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list"}'
# Call hello tool
curl -X POST https://mcp.techmavie.digital/datagovmy/mcp \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"my_hello","arguments":{}}}'
Configuration
Environment Variables
This project supports the following configuration options:
Geocoding Credentials (Optional. Only for GTFS Transit Features Usage):
The following credentials are only needed if you plan to use the GTFS transit tools that require geocoding services. Other features like data catalogue access, weather forecasts, and DOSM data do not require these credentials.
- googleMapsApiKey: Optional. If provided, the system will use Google Maps API for geocoding location names to coordinates.
- grabMapsApiKey: Optional. Required for GrabMaps geocoding, which is optimized for locations in Malaysia.
- awsAccessKeyId: Required for GrabMaps integration. AWS access key for GrabMaps API authentication.
- awsSecretAccessKey: Required for GrabMaps integration. AWS secret key for GrabMaps API authentication.
- awsRegion: Required for GrabMaps integration. AWS region for GrabMaps API (e.g. 'ap-southeast-5' for Malaysia region or ap-southeast-1 for Singapore region).
If neither Google Maps nor GrabMaps API keys are provided, the GTFS transit tools will automatically fall back to using Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) API for geocoding, which is free and doesn't require credentials.
You can set these configuration options in two ways:
- Via URL query parameters when connecting to the hosted server (see Quick Start section)
- As environment variables for local development or self-hosted deployment
Setting up environment variables
Create a .env file in the root directory:
GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY=your_google_api_key_here
GRABMAPS_API_KEY=your_grab_api_key_here
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your_aws_access_key_for_grabmaps
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your_aws_secret_key_for_grabmaps
AWS_REGION=ap-southeast-5
The variables will be automatically loaded when you run the server.
Note: For Malaysian locations, GrabMaps provides the most accurate geocoding results, followed by Google Maps. If you don't provide either API key, the system will automatically use Nominatim API instead, which is free but may have less accurate results for some locations in Malaysia.
Important: These geocoding credentials are only required for the following GTFS transit tools:
get_transit_routes- When converting location names to coordinatesget_transit_stops- When converting location names to coordinatesparse_gtfs_static- When geocoding is needed for stop locations
Note about GTFS Realtime Tools: The parse_gtfs_realtime tool is currently in development and has limited availability. Real-time data access through this MCP is experimental and may not be available for all providers or routes. For up-to-date train and bus schedules, bus locations, and arrivals in real-time, please use official transit apps like Google Maps, MyRapid PULSE, Moovit, or Lugo.
All other tools like data catalogue access, dashboard search, weather forecasts, and DOSM data do not require any geocoding credentials.
License
MIT - See LICENSE file for details.
Acknowledgments
- Malaysia Open Data Portal
- Department of Statistics Malaysia
- Malaysian Meteorological Department
- Google Maps Platform for geocoding
- GrabMaps for geocoding
- Nominatim for geocoding
- Model Context Protocol for the MCP framework