People group profile · PG018518
The Melanau of Malaysia
The Melanau of Malaysia, numbering about 160,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Malaysia.
They are an indigenous people in the Borneo-Kalimantan people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Central Melanau.
Fast facts
- Country
- Malaysia
- Population
- 160,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Borneo-Kalimantan
- Primary language
- Central Melanau (mel)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC ?
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority ?
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Sarawak: Mukah division, Rejang delta coastal area to Balingian river
Where they live
Gospel status
The Melanau are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Melanau
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
55% adherents
Primary language
Central Melanau · Austronesian family
70% speak Central Melanau
Gospel resources in Central Melanau
- Bible available, published 1980
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Melanau
- 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.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.