| Total population |
|---|
| 14.8 million (2010 census) |
| Languages |
| Religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Singaporean Malay, Overseas Indonesian, Overseas Malays, etc. |
In Malaysia, the Malay population is defined by Article 160 of the Malaysian Constitution as someone born to a Malaysian citizen who professes to be a Muslim, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs and is domiciled in Malaysia or Singapore. This definition is loose enough to include people of a variety of ethnic backgrounds, and it therefore differs from the anthropological understanding of what constitutes an ethnic Malay.[1]
This understanding of the meaning of "Malay" in Malaysia has led to the creation of an ethnoreligious identity,[1] where it has been suggested that a Malay cannot convert out of Islam as illustrated in the Federal Court decision in the case of Lina Joy.[2] As of 2010 census, Malays made up 51% of the population of Malaysia. It is predicted that this proportion will rise due to birth rates higher than other ethnic groups under several encouragement programs by the federal government.
Contents |
The article defines a Malay as a Malaysian citizen born to a Malaysian citizen who professes to be a Muslim, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs, and is domiciled in Malaysia or Singapore. As a result, Malay citizens who convert out of Islam are no longer considered Malay under the law. Likewise, a non-Malay Malaysian who converts to Islam can claim to be a Malay, provided they meet the other conditions. An example of this is Jeanne Abdullah the wife of former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is ethnically Portuguese-Eurasian.
A higher education textbook conforming to the government Malaysian studies syllabus states: "The non-Malay thought that is when a non-Malay embraces Islam, he is said to masuk Melayu, or become a Malay, due to the ethnoreligious identity of the Malay-Muslim . That person is automatically assumed to be fluent in the Malay language and to be living like a Malay as a result of his close association with the Malays."[3] Hari Singh similarly observes that "[to] convert to Islam" means "assuming [a] Malay identity (masuk Melayu). In essence, it requires the non-Malay to renounce his cultural heritage and adopt Malay ways and customs."[4]
Some of the Malay Malaysians are able to speak the Tamil or Chinese language due their surroundings, and/or being taught in Chinese or Tamil language medium schools. There is also a small proportion of elite Malays who prefer speaking Tamil or Chinese as a first language having come from the respective ethnic roots.
|
|||||||||||||||||