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People group profile · PG048662

The Bugis of Malaysia

The Bugis of Malaysia, numbering about 500,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Indonesia (Sulawesi).

They are a diaspora people in the Bugi-Makassar of Sulawesi people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Buginese.

Pray for the BugisPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Bugis people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Bugis

Fast facts

Country
Malaysia
Population
500,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Bugi-Makassar of Sulawesi
Primary language
Buginese (bug)
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
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Bugis 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 Bugis

  • 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

Buginese · Austronesian family

90% speak Buginese

Gospel resources in Buginese

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Bugis

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  2. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  3. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  4. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.

Download a prayer guide

Bugis in other countries

The same people (ROP3 101703) is reported in 2 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
BugisIndonesia7,805,000Engaged yet Unreached
BugineseSingapore12,000Engaged yet Unreached

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