People group profile · PG010713
The Malays of Singapore
The Malays of Singapore, numbering about 745,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are constitutionally recognized as Singapore's indigenous people, descended from the small Malay and seafaring Orang Laut communities present at Raffles's 1819 arrival, the Orang Laut later assimilating into the Malay ethnic identity.
They are an indigenous 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
- Singapore
- Population
- 745,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Malay
- Primary language
- Malay (individual language) (zlm)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Malays 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 Malays
- 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
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
- 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.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
Malays in other countries
The same people is also reported in 9 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malays | Malaysia | 13,670,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malays | Sri Lanka | 73,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Malays | United Kingdom | 56,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malays | Myanmar | 27,000 | Unengaged and 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 |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.