People group profile · PG020134
The Malays of Malaysia
The Malays of Malaysia, numbering about 13,670,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Malaysia (Peninsular).
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
- Malaysia
- Population
- 13,670,000
- 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
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, and Putrajaya states; Sarawak: Betong, Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman districts; Selangor and Terengganu states
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 Yes
- 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, published 2015
- 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
- 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.
Malay in other countries
The same people (ROP3 106144) is reported in 9 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malays | Singapore | 745,000 | 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 |
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