Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. The country is separated by the South China Sea into two parts, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo.
Located in the heart of South East Asia, Malaysia is surrounded by other countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei. Malaysia’s capital is Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia’s Official Stance
Malaysia’s official religion is Islam. However, the freedom of religion is also guaranteed by the constitution. Of the 28 million Malaysians (Malays, Chinese and other ethnic groups), 60.4 per cent are Muslims. Malays (the largest ethnic group) are generally Muslims. There are also Indian Muslims and a small number of Chinese Muslim converts. Although the previous and present Prime Ministers have made proclamations that Malaysia is an Islamic nation, certain segments of the population have resisted this status, pointing to the nation’s secular constitution. Proselytising Muslims is prohibited by law and conversion out of Islam is also forbidden.
Believers in Malaysia
Believers from a Muslim background are few in number. Many worship in house churches and retain their Islamic clothing and some cultural customs to avoid detection and harassment. In many cases, they discovered the Messiah through a direct divine encounter. Though they are few in number, they are courageous in their witness and their faith.
Bishop Ng Moon Hing of the Christian Federation of Malaysia has complained that attempts to import the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia, i.e. the Alkitab, have often been thwarted. “It would appear as if the authorities are waging a continuous, surreptitious and systematic programme against Christians in Malaysia to deny them access to the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia,” wrote the Bishop in a recent open letter to the Government. “Malaysian Christians, must have access to Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia in order to read, comprehend and practise their faith.”
Flag of Malaysia
Map of Malaysia
Prayer Starters:
- Pray for believers to open up their hearts to their Muslim neighbours and to be a blessing to them in practical, concrete ways
- Pray for more divine encounters to occur among the the Malays (see Acts 10:17-48).
- Pray for believers to be courageous while extending the hand of fellowship and assistance to new people (it can be risky).
Listen to the Podcast – DAY 20 – The Muslim Majority in Malaysia
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i will pray for the Muslim Malay:
* for protection of the few known Muslim-Background Believer Malays
* for more divine encounters for Muslim Malays
* for wisdom for the Christian Malayasians in handling the Malay Bibile issue
* for many Malay young people to see tradition can’t save them, but Jesus can
* for many Malay Islamic religious leaders to experience Christ
* for true religious freedom to be preserved in Malaysia
* for radical Isalm to drawl Malays to follow Jesus
* for publication and distribution of Christian Malay-language literature
* for effective development and use of Christian Malay-language radio, tv, internet, and mobile phone
* for rural Muslim Malays to have a chance to hear the Gospel
* for whole Malay families to come to faith so they set an example
* for widespread church-planting among Muslim Malays!
Here is a message just forwarded to me from friends in Malaysia:
… Tonight we are holding a huge inter-church prayer meeting at our church currently taking all that bashing from government and Muslim groups.
Since the “30-Days” prayer started August 1, we’ve not had a day that Christians in this country have not been bashed up. Just today, some Muslim groups are calling to wipe off Christians. We are rejoicing but … please uphold us in prayer! Malay Christians identities – their photos and even national identity card numbers – are being posted on the net. Pray for them for courage. This is a very difficult time but we have a God who wins all battles!
http://www.radicallovenow.com/
this article is bias to the muslim.
I think Christianity should not feel threatened by how ones family protect their children.
Most of those who wanted to go back to Christian were Christian before. So be it.
Just do not try to go into ones house and take what is not belong to them and then claim that they are being persecuted if the family of the house are trying to protect their belongings.
I do not believe that it is taught in the Bible.