Restricted
Malaysia
Malaysia has three major ethnicities — Malay (60 percent), Chinese (30 percent) and Tamil (7 percent) — and various native tribes. The Malays are the most powerful group in the country, and being Muslim is considered an important part of their identity. Most Christians are from the tribal and Chinese people groups, and most churches experience relative freedom as long as they do not evangelize the Malays.
Major Religion
56 percent of Malaysians are Sunni Muslims, but there is also a significant Buddhist population. 9 percent are Christians.
Persecutor
The government has severely punished Malay Christian converts. Persecution can also extend to those ministering to the Malay.
WHAT IT MEANS TO FOLLOW CHRIST IN MALAYSIA
While Christianity is not illegal, Christians are marginalized by the ruling Muslim ethnic group and have difficulty acquiring building permits for new churches. Most churches work in the languages of Mandarin, Tamil and English, with very few using the Malay language. Those that do are not targeting Malay people. Malay Christian converts from Islam who are caught are confined to so-called reeducation camps that use torture and propaganda to force them to return to Islam. Many indigenous people have come to Christ in eastern Malaysia.
Access to Bibles
It is illegal for Malay people to own a Bible, and Malay-language Bibles are largely unavailable outside Christian-majority areas. Give Bibles
VOM Work
VOM supports front-line workers and persecuted Malay Christians. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry
Pray for Malaysia
- The Malay majority is less than 1% Christian. Pray that Christians will be effective witnesses to them.
- A judge found the government complicit in Pastor Raymond Koh's abduction. Pray for comfort and justice for his family.
- Pray for creative and effective means for Christians to reach ethnic Malays with the gospel.
- Pray for converts from Islam to Christianity who have been mistreated. Ask the Lord to comfort and strengthen them.
- Pray that isolated Malaysian Christians will be connected to a church and grow in faith.
