3. The population of Malaysia 61% of the population in Malaysia are Muslim. 9.2% identify as Christian with about half of Christians identifying with evangelicalism. Islam is the state religion but citizens are granted freedom of religion… but in practice this does not mean that people can freely convert to Christianity from Islam.

4. The limestone pinnacles at Mount Api, part of the Mount Mulu National Park. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:35,37

5. History Occupied by the Japanese during the Second World War, Malaya was liberated in 1945 and achieved independence from Great Britain in 1957. Malaysia was formed as a federation in 1963; Singapore left it in 1965. Tensions have long continued between the politically dominant Muslim Malay community and the economically dominant Chinese community.

6. Malaysia is a young nation, still struggling to establish itself politically, economically and socially. Over half its population is Malay, while Chinese account for a quarter. Religion is divided along ethnic lines: Malays are Muslims; Chinese are followers of an amalgam of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, and Indians are Hindu. The indigenous communities in Sarawak and Sabah are nominally Christian, while those in Peninsular Malaysia are animist.

7. Night aerial view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline 1,475,337 people live and work in capital of Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur

8. The Petronas Towers house the headquarters of the national oil company Petronas and are the tallest twin-towers in the world.

9. The Cameron Highlands At 712 square kilometres the Cameron Highlands is one of the largest of Malaysia’s hill stations – a summer retreat where the temperatures are more moderate. It is one of the oldest of Malaysia’s tourist resorts. All of the settlements in the region are at altitudes of more than 1000m

10. The Malayan tiger is limited to 3 subpopulations none of which is thought to have more than 250 mature breeding individuals

11. Pray for Malaysia Pray for Christian workers from other countries inside Malaysia. Their numbers have declined due to visa restrictions. Pray for effective ministry within the limitations that exist. Extremist Muslim groups are pressing for radical Islamic reforms, and the formation of an Islamic state. Pray that this agenda will be firmly rejected. Proselytizing Muslims is not illegal under the federal law but it is the individual state laws that take precedence and the punishment may be caning or a prison sentence. Pray that restrictions on Christian meetings may be removed. Pray that Christian believers will be enabled to stand firm as the pressures on them increase.