Language

The official language in Malaysia is Malay [Bahasa Malaysia]. However, there are 145 other languages, 130 of which are tribal. Other principal languages are English, several Chinese languages and dialects, Tamil and Iban.

Geography

There are two distinct parts of Malaysia: Peninsular [West] Malaysia on the Kra Peninsula of mainland Asia with 75 percent of Malaysia’s peoples, and East Malaysia on the northern third of the island of Borneo.

East and West Malaysia are separated by about 400 miles of open sea and together cover 205,000 square miles.

About 68 percent of Malaysia is forested and the nation is the world’s leading supplier of tropical hardwoods.

Climate

Except in the highlands, Malaysia is hot and humid throughout the year. The average temperatures are about 21°-32°C [70°-90°F]. There are two monsoons: the northeast monsoon between October and March and the southwest monsoon from May to September. In recent years Malaysia has been troubled by “haze”—pollution and poor air quality has affected visibility and health.

History

The early history of Malaysia is obscure. It was split into small independent kingdoms until the 15th century when Malacca became a great kingdom and trading center, founded by a refugee prince. He converted to Islam, and Malacca became a center for the further spread of the Muslim faith.

In 1511 Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese. Because of its desirable location and despite constant fighting with surrounding kingdoms, the Dutch took it over in 1641.

The British, for trade and political reasons, moved into the area and took control of Penang [1786], Singapore [1819], and Malacca [1824]. They imported Chinese and Indian laborers to work the tin mines, who then became involved in territorial disputes with the native Malays. The British, therefore, worked indirectly through the hereditary Malay rulers [sultans] so as to maintain peace and order, and protect their trading interests.

At this time, East Malaysia was largely dominated by the powerful Muslim state of Brunei. Through gifts, land grants and trade, the area became a British protectorate in 1888.

Following occupation by the Japanese during the Second World War, there was a movement for independence from Britain. This was achieved for Peninsular Malaysia in 1957 and in 1963 the current Malaysia was formed. [Singapore was, for two years, part of Malaysia, before leaving for economic and political reasons.]

Today Malaysia is a federation of 13 states, with a monarch being chosen by rotation from among the hereditary sultans. There is a democratically elected federal parliament.

Politics have been dominated by ethnic disputes between the Malays and the Chinese who came to the country under the British. The politically powerful Malays have been extending their influence over the non-Malay population in educational, economic and religious life. The growing power of fundamentalist Muslim politicians has further polarized the country, with consequent inter-ethnic and inter-religious tensions.

The government is also challenged by global market forces. Malaysia is a leading exporter of electronics and is consistently showing economic growth. It is striving to reach “developed nation” status by 2020.

Christianity

Francis Xavier set foot in Malaya in 1545, and in 1814 Robert Morrison began work in Malacca, where his Chinese translation of the New Testament was later printed. During the 1800s other churches were planted among the British settlers and government servants but, because of an understanding between the British government and the sultans, evangelistic work was not permitted among Muslims.

Meanwhile, in East Malaysia, Anglicans and Methodists were at work among the animistic tribal peoples. The Borneo Evangelical Mission [BEM] was founded in 1928. OMF workers were lent to BEM from time to time, until in 1975 the two missions merged.

After the communist takeover of China, many ex-China missionaries went to work in Malaysia. OMF was among them from 1952 until the late 1970s, when the government’s open-door policy for missions changed.

With the withdrawal of outside mission help, Malaysian Christians were forced to stand on their own feet. Increasing numbers of well-qualified Christians have sensed God’s call to reach out to their own people and lead churches.

In East Malaysia there has been significant church growth among the indigenous peoples. BEM/OMF and other agencies left a legacy of Bible translations into the local ethnic languages. The Evangelical Church of Borneo [SIB] now takes its place in regional evangelical associations. It faces pressures from urbanization and modernization, which greatly affect the lifestyles of the local peoples, and also from Islam.

The overall Christian population has grown from less than four percent in 1980 to over 10 percent in 2000. Modernization is a double-edged sword, presenting the greatest opportunity for Christians to witness in an increasingly open Malay world, while at the same time posing a threat to the church. Western acculturations such as spirituality of health and wealth are problematic in a Muslim country.

An increasing number of Christians from Malaysia are working in cross-cultural missions.

OMF’s strategic priorities

OMF has continuing concern for the growth and development of the church in Malaysia. OMF helps in the training of staff for theological colleges, maintains close links with church leaders, and encourages the development of Malaysian prayer fellowships around the world.

How to pray

¨ An extremist Muslim minority has been pressing for radical Islamic reforms and the formation of an Islamic state. This has brought stress to the whole country, and an acceleration of Muslim missionary activities.

¨ Non-Muslims are suffering a creeping erosion of religious freedom. Pray for:

- The restoration of full religious liberty.

- The restrictions on Christian meetings to be removed.

- Unity among Christians in the face of persecution.

- Courageous Christian leaders who are willing and able to present the needs and rights of the Christian community to the authorities.

¨ Since Malay became the only national language, Christians have been pushed into a series of crises. The Bible in Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia is available in Christian bookshops. However, the government requires that it is made obvious that it is not for Muslims.

¨ There is a need for Christian literature in the Malay language.

¨ Some states have strongly discouraged the use of Malay in church to inhibit the conversion of Malays to Christ.

¨ Pray for missions to and from Malaysia:

- Many Malaysians are studying overseas. Pray that they would find Christ and be able to maintain their faith back at home.

- Pray for Malaysian Christians to rise to the challenge of cross-cultural missions both within Malaysia and beyond.

- Malays who have believed have suffered social ostracism and the loss of legal rights, privileges and jobs; some have had to leave Malaysia. Pray for supportive fellowship for Muslim background believers.

¨ Pray for Christians to tactfully, but fearlessly, share the gospel.

¨ In East Malaysia, 23 per cent of the Chinese and the majority of the indigenous peoples are now Christian. However, there are some unresolved problems for the churches, including nominal beliefs, materialism, the drift to the cities and a lack of full-time workers.

¨ Pray that the Malaysian church will be a reconciling community through genuine care for all.