People group profile · PG009334
The Sembakung Murut of Malaysia
The Sembakung Murut of Malaysia, numbering about 10,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Proto-Malay hill people of the Sembakung River spanning northern Kalimantan and Sabah, whose name means hill people, formerly shifting cultivators who used the river as their highway and were among the last Bornean tribes to abandon headhunting.
They are an indigenous people in the Borneo-Kalimantan people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Sembakung Murut.
Fast facts
- Country
- Malaysia
- Population
- 10,500
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Borneo-Kalimantan
- Primary language
- Sembakung Murut (sbr)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 5% or Greater but Less than 10%
- GSEC
- 5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Moderately Reached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Sembakung Murut are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Sembakung Murut
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
90% adherents
Primary language
Sembakung Murut · Austronesian family
70% speak Sembakung Murut
Gospel resources in Sembakung Murut
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Sembakung Murut
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Murut, Sembakung in other countries
The same people (ROP3 108823) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sembakung Murut | Indonesia | 4,300 | No Longer Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.