Malaysian Australians

Malaysian Australians (Malay: orang Malaysia Australia) refers to Malaysians who have migrated to Australia or Australian-born citizens who are of Malaysian descent. This may include Malaysian Chinese, Malays, Malaysian Indians, Orang Asal, mixed Malaysians and other groups.

Malaysian Australians
Total population
165,616 (2021)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide
Languages
Australian English, Malaysian English, Chinese (Cantonese, Min Chinese, Malaysian Mandarin), Tamil, Malay, other Languages of Malaysia, Orang Asal languages
Religion
Predominantly Unaffiliated and Christianity, with minorities of Buddhism and Islam
Related ethnic groups
Various ethnic groups of Malaysia, Singaporean Australians, Cocos Malays, Chinese Australians, and Indian Australians

History

Malay labourers were brought over to Australia to work mainly in the copra, sugarcane, pearl diving and trepang industries. In the case of Cocos Islands, the Malays were first brought as slaves under Alexander Hare in 1826, but were then employed as coconut harvesters for copra. Possibly the first Malay immigrant to Australia was a 22-year-old convict named Ajoup who arrived in Sydney on 11 January 1837. Ajoup, described as 'of the Malay faith', had been sentenced in Cape Town, South Africa, to 14 years transportation to New South Wales. He received his ticket of leave—that is, his freedom—in the colony in 1843.

The 1871 colonial census records that 149 Malays were working in Australia as pearl divers in northern and western Australia, labourers in South Australia's mines, and on Queensland's sugar plantations. At Federation in 1901, there were 932 Malay pearl divers in Australia, increasing to 1860 by 1921.[2]: 111  In Western Australia and the Northern Territory, Malay pearl divers were recruited through an agreement with the Dutch. By 1875, there were 1800 Malay pearl divers working in Western Australia alone. Most of them returned home when their contracts expired. The Immigration Restriction Act 1901 severely curtailed this community's growth.

Number of permanent settlers arriving in Australia from Malaysia since 1991 (monthly)

Demography
People born in Malaysia as a percentage of the population in Sydney divided geographically by postal area, as of the 2011 census.

At the 2006 Census 92,335 Australian residents stated that they were born in Malaysia.[3] 64,855 Malaysian born Australian residents declared having Chinese ancestry (either alone or with another ancestry), 12,057 declared a Malay ancestry and 5,848 declared an Indian ancestry. The proportion of Malaysian-born individuals in Australia who claim Chinese ancestry is 70.2%, which is markedly different from the proportion of Malaysians in Malaysia who claim Chinese ancestry (22.9%). The proportion of Malaysians in Australia that claim Indian ancestry (6.3%) is similar to the proportion in Malaysia (7.1%). From these statistics, it is clear that migration from Malaysia to Australia has not reflected a cross-section of Malaysia, but rather, is heavily skewed away from the Malay natives and towards the ethnic Chinese community and to a lesser extent the ethnic Indian community.

Religion

Though Islam is major religion in Malaysia, but Muslim are minority religion among Malaysians in Australia. In 2016, 11.633 people from 165.616 Malaysian Australians, or 7% from Malaysian Australians population identifying as Muslim, up from 7.610 Muslims or 5.2% in 2016.[4]

According to the data from Australian Bureau Statistics in 2016, 24.1% from Malaysian Australians population identifying as Buddhists, 20.9% as No religion, 12.7% as Catholic, 5.6% as Other Christian and 5.2% as Muslim.

According to Australian Bureau Statistics in 2021, 24.1% from Malaysian Australian population identifying as No religion, 23.8% as Buddhists, 11.8% as Catholic, 7.0% as Muslim and 5.9% as Other Christians.[5]

Religion of Malaysian Australians[6]

  Christianity (35.8%)
  No religion (26.6%)
  Buddhism (23.8%)
  Islam (7.0%)
  Others (6.9%)

Languages

Slightly more than half (46,445) had Australian citizenship,[7] and 47,521 had arrived in Australia in 1989 or earlier.[7] 32,325 spoke English at home, 24,347 spoke Cantonese, 18,676 spoke Mandarin and 5,329 spoke Bahasa Melayu.[7] Malaysian Australians were resident in Melbourne (29,174), Sydney (21,211) and Perth (18,993).[8]

Notable Malaysian Australians
NameBorn – DiedNotable forConnection with AustraliaConnection with Malaysia
Che'Nelle[9]1983–singerlives in Australiaborn Kota Kinabalu[10]
Eddie Woo1985–mathematics teacherborn in Camperdown, New South WalesParents migrated from Malaysia
Dr Yvonne Ho AMpublic speaker, businesswoman, educator, medical specialist, philanthropistfirst Malaysian-born woman to receive Order of Australia award[11]born in Malaysia
Chandran Kukathas1957–political theorist, professor and head of Department of Government, London School of Economicsstudied and taught in Australia from 1970s to 2000sborn in Malaysia
Diana Chan1988–MasterChef Australia winnerLiving in Australiaborn in Malaysia
Remy Hii1986/87–actorlives in Australiaof Malaysian descent[12]
Nick Kyrgios1995–Professional tennis playerborn in Canberramother is Malaysian[13]
Kamahl[14] 1934–singerlives in Australia; immigrated 1953born Kuala Lumpur[15]
Brendan Gan[16]1988–football (soccer) playerlives in Australiaof Malaysian descent
Matthew Davies1995–football (soccer) playerborn in Perth, lives in Australiaof Malaysian descent
Adam Liaw[17]1978–lawyer, author and television cheflives in Australia; immigrated 1980born in Penang[18]
Cheong Liew[19]cheflives in Australia; immigrated 1969born Kuala Lumpur[19]
Chong Lim[20]musician, music directorlives in Australiaborn Ipoh[21]
Omar Musa[22]1984–author, poet and rapperborn in Queanbeyanof Malaysian descent[23]
Guy Sebastian[24]1981–singerlives in Australia; immigrated as childborn Klang[25]
Pria Viswalingam[26]1962–documentary and film makerworks in Australiaborn Malaysia
James Wan[27]1977–film director, screenwriter and producerbrought up in Australia and studied thereborn Kuching[28]
Penny Wong[29]1968–politician, leader of the Australian Labor Party in the Senate, former Finance Ministerlives in Australia; Australian mother; immigrated 1977[30]born Kota Kinabalu,[31] Chinese Malaysian father
Poh Ling Yeow[32]1973–artist and television chefmoved to Adelaide in 1982born and raised in Kuala Lumpur[33]
Geraldine Viswanathan1995–ActressBorn in AustraliaFather is Malaysian
Vivien Tan?–former model, 1-time actress in British-Australian TV series The Other Side of Paradise, former Channel [V] VJ, and present TV host, chef and entrepreneurAustralian mother, lived in Australia to studyMalaysian father
Lina Teoh1976–model, actress, TV host, former Channel [V] VJ, and former beauty queen (Miss World 1998)born and grew up in MelbourneChinese Malaysian father
Ian Goodenough1975–politician, member of Liberal Party of Australiamigrated to Australia as a child in 1984, naturalized Australian citizen in 1987partial Chinese Malaysian descent
Sam Lim1961–politician, member of the Australian Labor Partymigrated to Australia in 2005born in Muar
Ronny Chieng1985–comedian and actorperformed in Australia and studied thereborn in Johor Bahru

See also

References
  1. "2021 People in Australia who were born in Malaysia, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics".
  2. Percival Wood, Sally (2015). Dee, Moreen (ed.). 60 Years Australia and Malaysia (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. ISBN 9781743222782. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  3. "20680-Ancestry (full classification list) by Sex – Australia". 2006 Census. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (Microsoft Excel download) on 8 September 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  4. "2016 People in Australia who were born in Malaysia, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  5. "2021 People in Australia who were born in Malaysia, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  6. "Malaysian Culture - Population Statistics".
  7. "2914.0.55.002 2006 Census Ethnic Media Package" (Excel download). Census Dictionary, 2006 (cat.no 2901.0). Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 June 2007.
  8. ABS Census – ethnicity
  9. Air Bourne (13 February 2010). "Malaysian-born singer Che'Nelle is back with her second disk, "Feel Good"". The Bajan Reporter. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  10. Chandran, Sheela (25 July 2007). "Virgin deal for Malaysian-born singer Che'nelle". thestar.com.my. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  11. "Home". dryvonneho.com.
  12. Knox, David (23 July 2013). "Raw emotion the key for Remy Hii". Tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  13. LEO SCHLINK (1 July 2014). "Rod Laver says Nick Kyrgios can put pressure on Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon tonight". NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  14. "Talking Heads – Kamahl". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 May 2006. Retrieved 5 June 2007.
  15. Street, Andrew P. "Kamahl – interview". timeoutsydney.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  16. "Gan the face of new Sydney". theworldgame.sbs.com.au. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  17. Idato, Michael (26 May 2010). "Network counts its takings as a cooking king is crowned". smh.com.au. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  18. Aedy, Richard (4 April 2011). "Masterchef: Adam Liaw (audio interview)". Masterchef: Adam Liaw. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  19. "Master Chef Cheong Liew Senses Hilton Kuala Lumpur". bigboysoven.com. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  20. "Chong Lim". johnfarnham.info. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  21. D'Cruz, Neville (7 May 2006). "New Aussie Honour For Malaysian-born Singer". Bernama.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  22. "Omar Musa, Australia's star slam poet, brings 'in-betweener' perspective to US". The Guardian. 17 February 2016.
  23. "Omar Musa". Penguin Books.
  24. Cheah, Jason (22 December 2003). "Nice guys do win". allmalaysia.info. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  25. "M'sian-born Idol Guy Sebastian to wed girlfriend". thestar.com.my. 8 January 2008. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  26. "Pria Viswalingam". forkfilms.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 August 2006. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  27. "James Wan Bio". tribute.ca. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  28. Johan, Rizal (26 March 2008). "Mortal enemy". ecentral.my. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  29. "Profile". Asian Currents: The Asian Studies Association of Australia's E-bulletin. Asian Studies Association of Australia. August 2004. Archived from the original on 1 October 2004. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
  30. Atkinson, Meera (26 August 2008). "Penny Wong: climate change and compassion". thetransitlounge.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  31. Maher, Sid. "Penny Wong". theaustralian.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 August 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  32. Davies, Nathan (11 July 2009). "Poh dishes up her MasterChef secret". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 July 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  33. Thompson, Peter (20 September 2010). "Poh-Ling Yeow". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 September 2010.

Further reading
  • Cleland, Bilal. The Muslims in Australia: A Brief History. Melbourne: Islamic Council of Victoria, 2002.
  • JPS Bach, 'The pearlshelling industry and the "White Australia" policy', Historical Studies, Australia and New Zealand, vol. 10, no. 38, May 1962, pp. 203–213
  • Bilal Cleland, Muslims in Australia: A Brief History, www.icv.org.au/history.shtml
  • Nahid Kabir, Muslims in Australia: Immigration, Race Relations, and Cultural History, Kegan Paul, London, 2004
  • Nahid Kabir, 'Muslims in Western Australia, 1870–1970', Journal of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society, vol. 12, part 5, 2005, pp. 550–565
  • L Manderson, 'Malays' in James Jupp (ed.), The Australian People, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1988, pp. 691–93
  • Daniel Oakman, Facing Asia: A History of the Colombo Plan, Pandanus Press, Canberra, 2004
  • Gwenda Tavan, The Long, Slow Death of White Australia, Scribe, Melbourne 2005
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