SIM Malaysia

Our team seeks to serve the communities of West Malaysia who have little or no knowledge of Jesus, including migrants, refugees, international students and some indigenous people groups.

Lee Ting Hwong and SIM workers visited to the makeshift houses of refugees illegally built in marshlands. Pic by SIM photographer

Key Ministries

  • Friendship evangelism among international students and expatriates
    Malaysia is progressing toward its goal of hosting 250,000 international students, already welcoming 170,000 students from 162 nations — primarily from China, South Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. It is also a significant destination for expatriates, with around 120,000 living in Malaysia We partner with local churches and mission organisations to show God’s love to these individuals, many of whom cannot be reached in their home countries.
  • Outreach to Diaspora Communities
    Through education, social work, healthcare, and vocational learning, we reache out to migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. There are about 2.6 million non-citizens in Malaysia, many of whom are vulnerable and from least-reached nations, particularly Muslim-majority countries. These communities often face legal uncertainty, exploitation and marginalisation. We believe God has brought the nations to Malaysia, providing a unique opportunity for local believers to engage in His mission right at their doorstep. 
Afghan tailor at Life2Life social enterprise in Malaysia. Pic by SIM photographer
Afghan tailor at Life2Life social enterprise in Malaysia. Pic by SIM photographer

Spiritual Landscape in Malaysia

Malaysia’s religious composition is closely tied to ethnicity: Malays are Muslims, Chinese generally follow Confucianism, Taoism or Buddhism, and Indians are mostly Hindu. The indigenous people groups in Sarawak and Sabah are generally nominal or syncretic Christians, while those in Peninsular Malaysia are mostly animist or nominal Muslims. 

Christianity was introduced between the 16th and 18th centuries through Western colonial influence. Today, the Christian community spans a wide range of denominations, united in faith across ethnic lines. However, sharing the gospel publicly remains restricted under Malaysian law, so most outreach happens through community engagement or programmes operated by churches and para-church groups. 

A notable trend is the growth of online Christian resources — including literature, worship services, and virtual communities — which support and connect believers across geographic, linguistic and legal barriers. 

Communities Where Christ is Least Known

Many international students and expatriates, particularly those from Muslim-majority countries, arrive in Malaysia having never heard the gospel. Migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers — often living under difficult circumstances — also represent significant unreached populations. Additionally, the indigenous people groups in Peninsular Malaysia, who largely follow animistic beliefs or nominal Islam, remain largely untouched by the good news of Jesus. 

Contact SIM Malaysia

Email: Connect@sim.org

Please pray

  • For God to send workers from diverse nationalities to work among international
    students on university campuses across the country
  • For more skilled workers to be raised up for the diaspora communities among the
    migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
  • For spiritual strongholds to be pulled down so that the churches, including both foreign
    and local believers, can cross the barriers to share the gospel and the love of Christ
    with all people, particularly the frontier people
  • For greater partnerships with national churches for cross-cultural mission, both locally
    and globally

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