People group profile · PG009476
The Malays of Myanmar
The Malays of Myanmar, numbering about 27,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Malay community descended primarily from settlers from the northern Malay Peninsula that preserves its Malay heritage and maintains cultural ties to the wider Malay world along Myanmar's southern coast.
They are a diaspora people in the Malay people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Malay (individual language).

Fast facts
- Country
- Myanmar
- Population
- 27,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Malay
- Primary language
- Malay (individual language) (zlm)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Malays are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Malays
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Malay (individual language) · Austronesian family
100% speak Malay (individual language)
Gospel resources in Malay (individual language)
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Malay)
- The Savior (Malay)
Bibles
- 2001 Today's Malay Version · audio, text
- Alkitab Versi Borneo · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Malays
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 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.
Malay in other countries
The same people (ROP3 106144) is reported in 9 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malays | Malaysia | 13,670,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malays | Singapore | 745,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malays | Sri Lanka | 73,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Malays | United Kingdom | 56,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malays | Australia | 21,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malays | Canada | 11,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Malays | United States | 10,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Malays | Comoros | 1,100 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malays | Mayotte | 325 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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