People group profile · PG020240
The Jakun of Malaysia
The Jakun of Malaysia, numbering about 25,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are the largest Proto-Malay Orang Asli people of Peninsular Malaysia, tracing ancestral roots to migrants from Yunnan some 5,000 years ago who settled first around Chini Lake, having shifted to rubber and oil palm cultivation.
They are an indigenous people in the West Malaysia Indigenous people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Jakun.
Fast facts
- Country
- Malaysia
- Population
- 25,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- West Malaysia Indigenous
- Primary language
- Jakun (jak)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Johor and Pahang: Pekan district south along east coast to south of Johor river
Where they live
Gospel status
The Jakun 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 Jakun
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
99% adherents
Primary language
Jakun · Austronesian family
70% speak Jakun
Gospel resources in Jakun
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Jakun)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Jakun
- 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.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
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