People group profile · PG009255
The Jahai of Malaysia
The Jahai of Malaysia, numbering about 1,700 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Semang Negrito people who call themselves Jah Jehai, settled by the rivers of Kelantan's Jeli district and Perak's Hulu Perak district, genetically linked to ancient Hoabinhian hunter-gatherers and observing taboos to avoid provoking the spirit Karei.
They are an indigenous people in the West Malaysia Indigenous people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Jehai.
Fast facts
- Country
- Malaysia
- Population
- 1,700
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- West Malaysia Indigenous
- Primary language
- Jehai (jhi)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Perak: northeast; Kelantan: west
Where they live
Gospel status
The Jahai are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Jahai
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
66% adherents
Primary language
Jehai · Austroasiatic family
70% speak Jehai
Gospel resources in Jehai
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Jahai
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.