People profile

With more than 25,000 islands, the Indo-Malaysia region has a population of about 420 million people. The equator runs through the center of the region, and tropical rainforest climates are typical. Many of the islands are mountainous, with both dormant and active volcanoes. Indo-Malaysia is rapidly modernizing and urbanizing. Skyscrapers and apartment buildings tower over the densely populated cities. Malls are sometimes spectacular and often massive. The region thrives on trade and has a very sophisticated commercial economy.

Indo-Malaysia is very ethnically diverse with Malay peoples making up the largest single group. Dialects of Malay are the official languages of Malaysia and Indonesia. English is widely spoken, and is an official language in Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines.

Most of the countries (except Brunei, which is an Islamic Republic) are officially secular and permit freedom of religion. In the past, both Indonesia and Malaysia have been known for a high level of inter-religious and inter-cultural tolerance. Sadly, this tolerance is breaking down in many places as zealous, orthodox Muslims seek to impose their interpretation of Islam on their fellow citizens who are traditional Folk Muslims. This revivalist version of Islam, imported from the Middle East, is leading to increasing tensions between these two expressions of Islam in many Muslim communities in Indo-Malaysia.

Strategic prayer

  • In Malaysia, Christians are 10% percent of the population and are mostly Chinese. Indonesia is also about 10% Christian and has many mega churches and large denominations. Pray that the Lord will continue to enbolden these Christians to reach out to the Muslim majorities. In Indonesia there are many small groups of believers around the country and numerous reports of church planting movements emerging.
  • The Lord can use the tensions between revivalist Islamists and the Folk Muslims to do something special. Pray that religious freedom will be upheld.