| 1st row: Hang Tuah • Hassanal Bolkiah • Enrique of Malacca • Mahathir bin Mohamad • Mizan Zainal Abidin • P. Ramlee
2nd row: Parameswara • Ratu Hijau • Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor • Siti Nurhaliza • Sudirman Arshad • Tunku Abdul Rahman |
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| Total population | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| c. 22 million | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Regions with significant populations | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Languages | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Malay, Indonesian, Yawi, Thai |
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| Religion | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Related ethnic groups | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Malaysian Malays, Malay Indonesian, Malay Singaporean, Thai Malays, Burmese Malays, Overseas Malays. |
Malays (Malay: Melayu Jawi: ملايو) are an ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations. The Malay ethnic group is distinct from the concept of a Malay race, which encompasses a wider group of people, including most of Indonesia and the Philippines. The Malay language is a member of the Austronesian family of languages.
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Proto Malay, also known as Melayu asli (aboriginal Malay) or Melayu purba (ancient Malay) are the mongoloids and austronesian speakers from mainland Asia who moved to the Malay peninsular and Malay archipelago in a long series of migration between 2500 B.C and 1500 B.C[9]. The Encyclopedia of Malaysia: Early History, has pointed out a total of three theories of the origin of Malay:
The proto Malays are believed to be seafarers knowledgeable in oceanography and possessed agricultural skills. They moved around from island to island in great distances between New Zealand and Madagascar, and they served as navigation guide, crew and labour to Indian, Arab, Persian and Chinese traders for nearly 2000 years. Over the years they settled at various places and adopted various cultures and religions.
The earlier Malays were later replaced by the Deutero Malays in the second wave of migration from mainland Asia around 300 B.C[10]. The present day Malays of the peninsular and coasts of Malay Archipelago are described anthropologically as Deutero Malays[11]; a combination of Proto Malays with Kambujas of Hindu-Buddhism faith, the Indo-Persian royalties and traders, southern Chinese traders, the aborigine Negrito Orang Asli, native seafarers, and traders from countries along the ancient trade routes.
The emergence of this new hybrid group had eventually forced some group of Proto Malays and aboriginal people to retreat into the hill areas of the interior further up rivers. Notable proto Malays of today are Moken, Orang Laut and Jakun.
There is no definite evidence which dates the first Indian voyages across the bay of Bengal but conservative estimates place the earliest arrivals to Malay shores at least 1,700 years ago.[12] The growth of trade with India brought coastal people in much of the Malay world into contact with major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. Thus, Indian religions, cultural traditions and the Sanskrit language began to spread across the land. Temples were built in the Indian style and local kings began referring to themselves as Raja and more desirable aspects of Indian government were adopted[13].
Subsequently, small Malay states started to appear in the coastal areas of Malay peninsular notably the Gangga Negara (2nd century), Langkasuka (2nd century), and Kedah (4th century). Between 7th and 13th centuries many of these small, often prosperous peninsular maritime trading states came under the loose control of Srivijaya empire, a great Malay kingdom centered in Palembang, Sumatra[14].
Srivijaya’s influence spread over all the coastal areas of Sumatra and Malay peninsular, western Java, western Borneo as well as the rest of the Malay Archipelago. Enjoying both Indian and Chinese patronage, its wealth was gained mostly through trade. At its height, the Malay language was used as its official language and became the lingua franca of the region, replacing Sanskrit, the language of Hinduism and Buddhism[13]. The Srivijayan era is considered the golden age of Malay culture.
The glory of Srivijaya however began to wane after the series of great raids by Chola Empire in 11th century. By the end of 13th century, the last remnant of the Malay empire in Dharmasraya was finally destroyed by the Javanese invaders during the Pamalayu expedition (Pamalayu literally means: war against the Malayu).
The destruction of Srivijaya had led to the diaspora of Srivijayan court and several attempts were made by the fleeing Malay princes to revive the empire. In 1324, with the support of the loyal servants of the empire, the Orang lauts, a Malay prince of Srivijaya origin, Sri Maharaja Sang Utama Parameswara Batara Sri Tribuwana established the kingdom of Singapore in Temasek[15]. His dynasty ruled the island until the end of 14th century when the Malay polity once again faced the wrath of Javanese invaders. In 1401, his great grandson, Paduka Sri Maharaja Parameswara headed north and established the Malacca Sultanate[16]. The Malacca sultanate succeeded Srivijaya and inherited much of the Malay royal and cultural traditions, including most of the territories of its predecessor[17][18][19].
Two major developments that changed Malay history occurred in the period beginning the 13th and 14th centuries. The first was the arrival of Islam: the second was the rise of the great port-city of Malacca on the southwestern coast of Malay peninsular[20].
The Islamic faith arrived in the shores of what are now the states of Kedah, Perak, Kelantan and Terengganu, from around the 12th century[21]. The earliest archaeological evidence of Islam from the Malay peninsular is an inscribed stone dating from the 14th century found in Terengganu state, Malaysia[20].
By 15th century, Malacca Sultanate, whose hegemony reached over much of the western Malay archipelago, became the center of Islamization in the east. The Malaccan tradition was transmitted onwards and fostered a vigorous ethos of Malay identity[22][23]. It was during this era, Islamic faith became closely identified with Malay society and play significant role in defining the Malay identity[24][25][26].
In 1511, the city of Malacca fell into the hands of Portuguese conquistadors. However, Malacca remained an institutional prototype: a paradigm of statecraft and a point of cultural reference for successor states such as Johor Sultanate (1528–present), Perak Sultanate (1528–present) and Pahang Sultanate (1470–present)[22].
Across the South China Sea, another Malay realm, the Brunei Sultanate (1363–present) was shaping up nicely as trading port rival to Malacca. Brunei reached its golden age in the mid 16th century when it controlled land as far south as present day Kuching in Sarawak and north towards the islands of the Phillippines[27].
Other significant Malay sultanates were the Kedah Sultanate (1136–present) and Patani Sultanate (1516–1771) that dominated the northern part of Malay peninsular.
Malay language is one of the major languages of the world[28] and of the Austronesian family. Variants and dialects of Malay are used as an official language in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia. The language is also spoken in Thailand, Philippines, Cocos Island, Christmas Island, Sri Lanka, Suriname. It is spoken natively by around 33 million people throughout the Malay Archipelago and used as a second language by an estimated 220 million[28].
The spread of Malay language began with the suzerainty of Srivijaya empire and accelerated under Malacca sultanate. At the height of Malacca’s power in the 15th century, it spread eastward to areas far beyond Malacca’s control, such as Ternate and Tidore in the northern Moluccas. Malay became the language of court and literature in kingdoms outside traditional Malay speaking areas[29]. Under the Sultanate of Malacca the language evolved into a form recognizable to speakers of modern Malay language.
In the age of learned languages, Malay was one of the three major learned languages of Islamic scholarship. 17th and 18th century European writers, such as Tavernier, Thomassin and Werndly describe Malay as "language of the learned in all the Indies, like Latin in Europe"[30]. It is also the most widely used during British and Dutch colonial era in the Malay Archipelago[31].
The dialect of Johor or Johor-Riau dialect is the standard speech among Malays in Singapore and Malaysia, and it formed the original basis for the standardized Indonesian language[32][33][34][35]. In the Malay Peninsula, the Kelantanese dialect in its purest form is the most difficult to understand. Other peninsula dialects include the Kedahan dialect, the Melakan dialect, the Minangkabau dialect of Negeri Sembilan, the Perak dialect, the Pahangite dialect and the Terengganu dialect. In Thailand, Malays of Satun speak the Kedahan dialect while those in the Patani provinces speak the Kelantanese lingo. In Brunei, there are varieties of Malay dialects in use; Royal Malay, Kedayan, Kampong Ayer, Bazaar Malay and Brunei Malay[36].
Malay language was historically written in Pallava, Kawi and Rencong. After the arrival of Islam, Arabic-based Jawi script was adopted and still in use today as co-official script in Malaysia and Brunei [37]. Starting from 17th century, as a result of British and Dutch colonization, Jawi was gradually replaced by Rumi script[38] and eventually became official modern script for Malay language in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia (co-official in Brunei).
The rich oral literature and classical literature of the Malays contain a great number of portraits of the people, from the servant to the minister, from the judge to the Rajas, from the ancient to the very contemporary periods, which together form the amorphous identity of the Malays[39].
Considering the softness and mellifluence of the Malay language, which lends itself easily to the requirements of rhyme and rhythm, the originality and beauty in Malay literature can be assessed in its poetical elements. Among the forms of poetry in Malay literature are – the Pantun, Syair and Gurindam.
The earliest form of Malay literature was the oral literature and its central subjects are traditional folklore relating to nature, animals and people. The folklore were memorized and passed from one generation of story tellers to the next. Many of these tales were also written down by penglipur lara (story tellers) for example; Hikayat Malim Dewa, Hikayat Malim Deman, Hikayat Raja Budiman, Hikayat Raja Donan, Hikayat Anggun Cik Tunggal, and Hikayat Awang Sulung Merah Muda.
When the Indian influences made its way to the Malay Archipelago around 1700 years ago, Malay literature began incorporating Indian elements. Literature of this time is mostly translations of Sanskrit literature and romances, or at least some productions inspired by such, and full of allusions to Hindu mythology. Probably to this early time may be traced such works as Hikayat Seri Rama (a free translation of the Ramayana) and Hikayat Panca Tantra (an adaptation of Hitopadesha) [40].
The era of classical Malay literature started after the arrival of Islam and the invention of Jawi script (Arabic based Malay script). Since then, Islamic beliefs and concepts began to make its mark on Malay literature. The Terengganu Inscription Stone, which is dated to 1303, is the earliest known narrative Malay writing. The stone is inscribed with an account of history, law, and romance in Jawi script[41].
At its height, Malacca sultanate was not only the center of Islamization, but also the center of Malay cultural expressions including literature. During this era, notable Middle Eastern literary works were translated and religious books were written in Malay language. Among famous translated works are Hikayat Muhammad Ali Hanafiah and Hikayat Amir Hamzah. The most important piece of Malay literary works is perhaps the famed Malay Annals or Sulalatus Salatin. It was called "the most famous, distinctive and best of all Malay literary works" by Sir Richard O. Winstedt, one of the most prominent scholars in Malay studies[42]. The exact date of its composition and the identity of its original author are uncertain[41], but under the orders of Sultan Alauddin Riaayat Shah III of Johor in 1612, Tun Sri Lanang oversaw the editorial and compilation process of the Malay Annals[43].
In 19th century, the Malay literature has received some notable additions through writings of Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir, a famous Malacca-born munshi of Singapore[40]. Abdullah is regarded as the most cultured Malay who ever wrote[40], one of the greatest innovators in Malay letters[44] and the father of modern Malay literature[41]. His most important works are the Hikayat Abdullah (an autobiography), the Pelayaran Abdullah (an account of his trip for the government to Kelantan), and a narrative of his pilgrimage to Mecca made in the year 1854. His work was an inspiration to future generations of writers and marks an early stage in the transition from the classical Malay literature to modern Malay literature[44].
In the beginning, Malays were animists, believing in the existence of spirits in everything, which was known as semangat (spirit)[13]. By about the opening of the Christian era, Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism were introduced by Indian traders to the Malay Archipelago, where they flourished until 13th century before the arrival of Islam brought by Arab, Indian and Chinese Muslim traders.
In the 15th century, Islam of orthodox Sunni sect flourished in the Malay world under the role of Malacca Sultanate. In contrast with Hinduism, which transformed early Malay society only superficially, Islam can be said to have really taken roots in the hearts and minds of the Malays[45]. After this era, the Malays have traditionally had a close identification with Islam[46] and they never changed their religion since then[45]. Such identification is so strong to the extent that to become Muslim, it was said, was to masuk Melayu (to become Malay)[24].
Nevertheless, the earlier beliefs having the deeper roots, have maintained themselves against the anathemas of Islam and indeed, Sufism or the mysticism of Shia Islam, which properly has no place among orthodox Sunnis has become intertwined among the Malays, with the spirits of the earlier animistic world and some elements of Hinduism[47].
Following the 1970s Islamic revival (also referred as re-Islamization[48]) throughout the Muslim world, many traditions that contravene the teaching of Islam and containing elements of shirk were abandoned by the Malays. Among these practices was the mandi safar festival (Safar bath), a bathing festival to achieve spiritual purity in which can be discerned features similar to some of those of the Durga Puja of India[49].
Approximately 99.9% of modern Malays are the adherents of Sunni Islam[6][7][8] and the most important Malay festivals are those of Islamic origin; Hari Raya Puasa/Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid ul-Fitr), Hari Raya Haji/Hari Raya Aidiladha (Eid al-Adha), Awal Muharram (Islamic New Year) and Maulidur Rasul (Mawlid - Birthday of the Prophet).
Various cultural influences, notably Chinese, Indian and Europeans, played a major role in forming Malay architecture[50]. Until recent time, wood was the principal material used for all Malay traditional buildings[20]. However, some remarkable stone structures were also found and effectively restored particularly the religious complexes from the time of Srivijaya Empire and ancient isthmian Malay kingdoms.
Candi Muara Takus and Candi Muaro Jambi in Sumatra are among the examples that associated with the architectural elements of Srivijaya Empire. However, the most of Srivijayan architecture was represented at Chaiya (now a province in Thailand) in Malay peninsular, which was without doubt a very important centre during the Srivijaya period[51][52][53]. The type of structure consists of a cell-chamber to house the Buddha image and the summit of structure was erected in the form of stupa with successive, superimposed terraces which is the best example at Wat Pra Borom That of Chaiya[52].
There is also evidence of Hindu shrines or Candi around south Kedah between the mount Jerai and the Muda River valley, an area known as Bujang Valley. Within an area of about 350 square kilometers, 87, early historic religious sites have been reported and there are 12 candis located on mountain tops, a feature which suggests may derive from pre-historic Malay beliefs regarding sanctity of high places[54].
Early description on Malay architecture was from Chinese sources. A 7th century Chinese account tells of Buddhist pilgrims calling at Langkasuka and mentioned the city as being surrounded by a wall on which towers had been built and was approached through double gates[55]. A report of special Chinese envoy written in 7th century, referring to a Malay state Red Earth Land in Malay peninsular, recorded that the capital city had three gates more than hundred paces apart, which were decorated with paintings of Buddhist themes and female spirits[56].
The first detailed description of Malay architecture was on the great wooden Istana (Palace) of Sultan Mansur Shah (reigned 1458–1477) of Malacca[56][20]. Based on the Sejarah Melayu, the building had a raised seven bay structures on wooden pillars with a seven tiered roof in cooper shingles and decorated with gilded spires and Chinese glass mirrors[56].
The traditional Malay houses are built using simple timber-frame structure. It have pitched roofs, porches in the front, high ceilings, many openings on the walls for ventilation[57], and are often embellished with elaborate wood carvings. The beauty and quality of Malay wood carvings were meant to serve as visual indicators of the social rank and status of the owners themselves[58].
Several design elements of traditional Malay architecture are adapted to modern structures to reflect the Malaysian identity. The stilt elevated undulating roof structure of the KLIA is supposed to imitate the traditional Malay-styled raised kampung houses. Wood, an important element in traditional Malay buildings, is also reinterpreted and readapted in modern landscape in the KLIA and Putrajaya. In Putrajaya, the Prime Minister’s office is lined with wood panels to achieve the design goal. The underside of the KLIA’s domed roof structure is similarly “clad in narrow strips of wood” which the architect suggests, “alludes to vernacular Malaysian timber structures, reinterpreting traditional building methods and strengthening sense of local identity”. Non-architectural elements of the Malay heritage are also employed. The entrance to the Petronas Twin Towers is adorned with contemporary Malay motifs adapted from traditional handicrafts, including Songket and timber carvings inspired by images of the tropical rainforests[59].
The Malays have a diverse kind of music and dance which are fusions of different cultural influences. Typical genres range from traditional Malay folk dances dramas like Mak Yong to the Arab-influenced Zapin dances. Choreographed movements also vary from simple steps and tunes in Dikir barat to the complicated moves in Joget Gamelan.
Traditional Malay music is basically percussive. Various kinds of gongs provide the beat for many dances. There are also drums of various sizes, ranging from the large rebana ubi used to punctuate important events to the small jingled-rebana (frame drum) used as an accompaniment to vocal recitations in religious ceremonies[60].
The Persian-influenced Nobat music became part of the Royal Regalia of Malay courts since the arrival of Islam in 12th century and only performed in important court ceremonies. Its orchestra includes the sacred and highly revered instruments of nehara (kettledrums), gendang (double-headed drums), nafiri (trumpet), serunai (oboe), and sometimes a knobbed gong and a pair of cymbals[20].
Indian influences are strong in a traditional shadow play known as Wayang Kulit where stories from Hindu epics; Ramayana & Mahabharata form the main repertoire. There are four distinctive types of shadow puppet theater that can be found in Malay peninsular; Wayang Gedek, Wayang Purwa, Wayang Melayu and Wayang Siam[61][62][63].
Other well-known Malay performing arts are; Bangsawan theatre, Dondang Sayang love ballad and Mak Inang dance from Malacca Sultanate, Jikey and Mek Mulung theatre from Kedah, Asyik dance and Menora dance drama from Patani and Kelantan, Ulik Mayang and Rodat dance from Terengganu, and Boria theatre from Penang.
In Malay culture, clothes and textiles are revered items of beauty, power and status. Numerous accounts in Malay hikayats stressed the special place occupied by textiles[64]. The Malay handloom industry can be traced its origin since 13th century when the eastern trade route flourished under Sung Dynasty. Mention of locally made textiles as well as the predominance of weaving in Malay peninsular was made in various Chinese and Arab accounts[64]. Among well-known Malay textiles are Songket and Batik.
Common classical Malay attire for men consists of a baju (a long sleeve shirt), a small leg celana (trousers), a sarong worn around the waist, and a tanjak or tengkolok (headgear). It was also common for a Malay warrior to have a Kris tucked into the front fold of sarong.
Traditional Malay dress varies between different regions but the most popular traditional dress in modern day are Baju Kurung (for women) and Baju Melayu (for men), which both recognized as the national dress for Malaysia and Brunei [65][66], and also worn by Malay communities in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.
In contrast to Baju Melayu which continued to be worn as ceremonial dress only, Baju Kurung is worn daily throughout the year by a majority of Malay women. Sighting of female civil servants, professional workers and students wearing Baju Kurung is common in Malaysia and Brunei.
Silat Melayu and its variants can be found throughout the Malay world; Malay peninsular, Singapore, Riau Islands, Sumatra and coastal areas of Borneo. Archaeological evidence reveals that, by 6th century A.D, formalized combat arts were being practiced in Malay peninsular and Sumatra[67]. Earliest forms of Silat is believed to have been developed and used in the armed forces of ancient Malay kingdoms of Langkasuka (2nd A.D)[68][69] and Srivijaya (7th A.D).
The influence of Malay empires of Srivijaya and Malacca Sultanate has contributed to the spread of this martial art in the Malay Archipelago. Through a complex maze of sea channels and river capillaries that facilitated exchange and trade throughout the region, Silat wound its way into the dense rainforest and up into the mountains. The legendary Laksamana Hang Tuah of Malacca is one of the most renowned pesilat (Silat practitioner) in history[70] and even considered by some as the father of Malay silat[71]. Since the classical era, Silat Melayu underwent great diversification and formed what is today traditionally recognized as the source of Indonesian Pencak Silat[72][73].
Apart from Silat, Tomoi is also practiced by the Malays mainly in the northern states of Malay peninsular. It is a variant of Indo-Chinese forms of kickboxing which is believed to have been spread in the Southeast Asian mainland since the time of Funan Empire (68 A.D).
Traditional Malay games usually require craft skills and manual dexterity and can be traced their origins since Malacca Sultanate.Sepak Raga and kite flying are among traditional games that were mentioned in the Malay Annals being played by nobilities and royalties of Malacca Sultanate[74][75][76].
Sepak Raga (now known as Sepak Takraw) is one of the most popular Malay games and has been played for centuries. Traditionally, Sepak raga was played in circle by kicking and keeps aloft the rattan ball using any part of the body except the arms and hands. It is now recognized as Malaysia’s national sport[77][78] and played in the international sporting events such as Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games.
Other popular game is top spinning which usually played after the harvest season. A great skill of craftsmanship is required to produce the most competitive Gasing(top), some of which spin for two hours at a time [68].
Possibly the most popular Malay games is the flying of kite or Wau (a unique kind of kite from east coast of Malay peninsular). Wau-flying competitions take place with judges awarding points for craftsmanship (Wau are beautiful, colourful objects set on bamboo frames), sound (all Malay kites are designed to create a specific sound as they are buffeted about in the wind) and altitude [68].
The Malays also have a variant of Mancala board game known as Congkak (from Malay word Congak, literally means "mental calculation"). The game is played by moving stones, marbles, beads or shells around a wooden board consisting of twelve or more holes. Mancala is acknowledged as the oldest game in the world and can be traced its origin since Ancient Egypt. As the game dispersed around the globe, every culture has invented its own variation including the Malays [68].
Malay personal names are complex, reflecting the hierarchical nature of the society, and titles are considered important. It have undergone tremendous change, evolving with the times to reflect the different influences that the Malays been subjected over the ages. Although some Malay names still retain parts of its indigenous Malay and Sanskrit influences, as Muslims, Malays have long favored Arabic names as marks of their religion.
Malay names are patronymic in nature, and can be consisted of up to four parts; a title, a given name, the family name, and a description of the individual’s male parentage. Some given names and father's names may be composed of double names and even triple names, which make the full name becoming extremely long.
In addition to naming system, the Malay language also has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still extensively used in Malaysia and Brunei.
Ptolemy (c. AD 90 – c. 168) in his work Geographia recorded about a cape in Aurea Chersonesus or Golden Chersonese (Malay peninsular) named Maleu-kolon, which is believed to have been originated from Sanskrit word malayakolam or malaikurram[79]. According to G. E. Gerini, Maleu-Kolon was referring to modern day Tanjung Kuantan while Roland Bradell claimed it on Tanjung Penyabung, both in the Malay Peninsula.
In chapter 48 of the Hindu religious text, Vayu Purana, the Sanskrit word Malayadvipa (literally: “mountain insular continent”) was mentioned, referring to one of the provinces in the mythical eastern archipelago that are full of gold and silver. There stood a hill called Malaya as well as a great mountain called Mahamalaya (literally:”the great mountain”)[80]. Even though some western scholars particularly Sir Roland Braddell equates this malayadvipa with Sumatra[81], many Indian scholars believe that it was referring to the more mountainous Malay peninsular[82][83][84][85][86], where several ancient isthmian Malay kingdoms once stood since the beginning of Christian era.
It is interesting to note that the Malays were once referred as "Kun-lun people" in various Chinese records. Kunlun was originally referring to a fabled mountain range that was believed to span parts of Tibet and India. It was used by the Chinese as reference to black, wavy-haired barbarians of the mountains and jungles from the remote part of geographically known world. The Viets, Champas and Khmers were called Kunlun people by the Chinese before the term being applied to the Malays. In 750, Jianzhen (688-765) noticed the presence of many "Brahmans, Persians and Kunluns in Canton". The Book of Tang reported that "every year, Kunlun merchants come in their ships with valuable goods to trade with the Chinese"[87].
From the record of Yi Jing (a Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk), who visited the Malay Archipelago between 688 - 695, he mentioned about a kingdom known as Mo-Lo-Yu (Melayu) which was 15 days sail from Bogha (Palembang), the capital of Sribhoga (Srivijaya). It took him 15 days sail as well to reach Ka-Cha (Kedah) from Mo-lo-yu, therefore that Mo-Lo-Yu lies just halfway between the two places[88]. According to Yi Jing, Mo-Lo-Yu was initially an independent kingdom before it was annexed by the SriBhoga.
In the later Mongol Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) and Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the word Ma-La-Yu was mentioned often (in the history of China) to refer to a nation from southern sea with different spelling due to the change of dynasty.
The following sentence is a partly extract from the original Chronicle of Mongol Yuan (in Chinese): Chronicle of Mongol Yuan
"以暹人与麻里予兒旧相仇杀，至是皆归顺，有旨谕暹人“勿伤麻里予兒，以践尔言"。
(in English: "Animosity occurred between Siam and Ma-la-yu (Malays) with both killing each other..."), possibly referring to the centuries old hostilities between the Thai polity in the north and the states in Malay peninsular.
The famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo in his book Travels of Marco Polo mentioned about a kingdom named "Malauir" which according to him located in an area somewhere in the southern part of the Malay peninsula[89][90].
The word "Melayu" began in use and popularized when Malacca Sultanate rose to power in 15th century, to describe the cultural preferences of Malaccans as against foreigners from the same region, notably the Javanese and Thais [91]. Malacca was not the only dominant trading centre of the region, but also a vigorous centre of Malay culture, influential in shaping the political institutions and traditional culture of the Malays through the succeeding centuries[92].
During the European colonization, the word "Malay" was adopted into English via the Dutch word "Malayo", itself from Portuguese "Malaio", which originates from the Malay word "Melayu".
Below are some theories attempted to relate the word "Melayu" or "Malay" with other similar sounding word:
The term Malay is sometimes used to describe the concept of a Malay race, which includes all the ethnic groups inhabiting the Malay Archipelago and which are not of older aboriginal stock. The term was first used by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752–1840), in classifying human races. According to Blumenbach, the “Malay race” is a subcategory of both the Ethiopid and Mongoloid races, and classified under the brown race[94].
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