People group profile · PG022517
The Riau Malays of Indonesia
The Riau Malays of Indonesia, numbering about 2,385,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a regional Malay subgroup indigenous to the Riau Province and Riau Islands of eastern Sumatra. They are part of the broader Malay world but possess a distinct regional identity rooted in the historic Malay sultanates of the Straits of Malacca region.
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
- Indonesia
- Population
- 2,385,000
- 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
- Also known as
- Riau Malay, Riau Melayu
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Riau 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 Riau 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 Riau Malays
- 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.
- 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.
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