People group profile · PG018247
The Sebuyau of Malaysia
The Sebuyau of Malaysia, numbering about 10,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Iban river community named for the Sebuyau River in Sarawak, whose ancestors migrated from Kapuas Hulu in West Kalimantan beginning around 1550, later resettling from Sebuyau to Meredang, Gayam, Lundu, and Samarahan after their leader Gelungan died.
They are an indigenous people in the Borneo-Kalimantan people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Iban.

Fast facts
- Country
- Malaysia
- Population
- 10,500
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Borneo-Kalimantan
- Primary language
- Iban (iba)
- 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 Sebuyau 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 Sebuyau
- 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
95% adherents
Primary language
Iban · Austronesian family
100% speak Iban
Gospel resources in Iban
- Bible available, published 2011
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Iban)
Bibles
- Today's Iban Version · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Sebuyau
- 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.
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