| Total population | |
|---|---|
| unknown(including Malaysian citizens counted as "Malays")[note 1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Mostly inJohor, Perak andSelangor states of the peninsula and a significant minority inSabah andSarawak. | |
| Languages | |
| Majority:Malay Minority:Javanese | |
| Religion | |
| MostlyMuslim, significant minority of Christians andHindus (among immigrants from Indonesia) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Javanese people,Malaysian Malays,Malay Singaporeans, other nativeMalaysians andIndonesians |
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TheJavanese Malaysians are people of full or partialJavanese descent who were born in or immigrated to Malaysia. They form a significant part of Malaysia's population and Malaysian law considers most of them to beMalays. Malaysia is home to the largest Javanese population outside Indonesia. The Javanese are not the only Indonesian ethnic group that has assimilated into Malaysian society; there are also theMinangkabau people,Bugis people,Banjar people,Bawean people, and others.[4]
The majority of Javanese Malaysians originate fromCentral Java; the first wave came during theShailendra era from the sixth to ninth century, then during theSinghasari,Srivijaya, andMajapahit era from the twelfth to fourteenth century. Political marriages between kingdoms, such as the union between SultanMansur Shah of Malacca andPrincess Raden Galuh Chandra Kirana ofMajapahit, serve as evidence of long-standing inter-ethnic interactions. This story is recorded in the 16th-century classical Malay manuscript,Sulalatus Salatin.[5]
There were also migrants from theDutch East Indies looking for new opportunities inBritish Malaya. Although many of them arrived during the colonial era, there are also those who arrived duringWorld War II to both Japanese-occupied British Malaya andBorneo asforced labour.[6][7] In the present day, they live predominantly in theWest Malaysian states ofJohor, Perak andSelangor, with significant minorities found inEast Malaysia, especially in the states ofSabah andSarawak.
Most Malaysians of Javanese descent haveassimilated into the local Malay culture and speakMalaysian as a native tongue and first language rather than theJavanese language of their ancestors. This occurred through usual assimilation, as well as intermarriages with other ethnic groups. This qualifies them asMalays under Malaysian law. The situation is identical with the Javanese in Singapore, where they are consideredMalay. The presence of Javanese people in Malaysia has become part of history and contributed to the country's development. Many political figures hold important positions in the Malaysian government, includingDato' SeriAhmad Zahid Hamidi, who served asDeputy Prime Minister of Malaysia (Deputy Prime Minister) since 29 July 2015, andMuhyiddin Yassin, thePresident of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party and former holder of several ministerial positions in Malaysia.[8] Several Malaysian artists also haveJavanese ancestry, such as Mohammad Azwan bin Mohammad Nor, widely known asWak Doyok, an entrepreneur and fashion icon, andHerman Tino, a pioneer ofdangdut music in Malaysia.[9]
Nusantara is a term derived from twoSanskrit words:nusa (island) andantara (between). This is due to the geographical nature of the region, which consists of anarchipelago of islands situated between the continents of Asia and Australia and located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.[10] TheHistory of Nusantara predates the formation of the modern nations now known as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore,Brunei Darussalam, and parts of the Philippines and Thailand. The peoples of the Nusantara region were historically united by ancient kingdoms such asSrivijaya,Majapahit, and other polities.
During the European colonial rule in Nusantara, many Javanese people were brought to theMalay Peninsula as laborers foroil palm and rubber plantations. Malaysia has a large Javanese-descended population, particularly in theState of Johor.Javanese people fromKulon Progo andPonorogo migrated to the southern part of Johor from the 18th to the early 20th century. ThisJavanese diaspora mainly worked on plantations in Johor and Selangor. They preferred to live under British colonial rule, believing that the British treated indigenous laborers better than theDutch Colonial Government.[11]
Since the time of British colonial rule in Malaya, the capital ofSelangor,Shah Alam, has been home to many Javanese migrants. In addition to theJavanese, there were also migrants from theDutch East Indies, primarily fromSumatra Island, such as theMinangkabau people and theAcehnese people. These migrants established a settlement that is now known as Kampung Padang Jawa.
During its early establishment, Kampung Padang Jawa was a fertile agricultural area producing various fruits. At that time, its residents primarily worked as rubber tappers. Before theKlang River became polluted due to urban development, many villagers were fishermen, catching freshwater fish, giant river prawns, and belacan shrimp. The founder of Kampung Padang Jawa was a man named Wak Karian. According to local stories, Wak Karian was a courageous warrior and a respected figure within the community. He was of Javanese origin fromCentral Java. Wak Karian was the first person to clear land and establish Kampung Padang Jawa. His tomb can now be found in the Kampung Padang Jawa cemetery, located next to the Federal Highway inSelangor. The name Kampung Padang Jawa originates from theJavanese language, specifically from the wordpadhang, meaning "bright" or "illuminating an area." This refers to Wak Karian's efforts to open new land, which brought life and prosperity to the region. Over time, the settlement became widely known as Kampung Padang Jawa.[12]
The results of the Malaysian population census in 1950 indicated that there were 189,450 people born inJava Island, 62,200 people fromSouth Kalimantan (Banjar people), 26,300 people fromSumatra Island, 24,000 people fromBawean Island (referred to asBoyan in Malaysia and Singapore), and 7,000 people fromSulawesi Island (Bugis people).[4]
The Javanese are not the only ethnic group from Indonesia that has contributed to thedemographics of Malaysia. There are also people ofMinangkabau,Bugis,Banjar,Mandailing, and other ancestries. In fact, theMinangkabau people established a government in the Malay Peninsula, which is now known asNegeri Sembilan. To this day, the Minangkabau remain dominant in both population and culture in the state ofNegeri Sembilan.[13] However, thenational census in Malaysia classifies these Indonesian-origin ethnic groups asMalays. They possess the same rights and responsibilities as other Malays in accordance with Malaysia's constitution and laws. According to Article 160, Clause 2 of thePerlembagaan Persekutuan (Federal Constitution of Malaysia), a person is recognized as Malay if they fulfill the following criteria:
"Malay" means a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs, and—
(a) was born before Merdeka Day in the Federation or Singapore, or was born before Merdeka Day and has at least one parent born in the Federation or Singapore, or was domiciled in the Federation or Singapore on Merdeka Day; or
(b) is a descendant of such a person.[14]
This classification means that all ethnicities and races that meet the above criteria are officially recognized as Malays and are entitled to the privileges and responsibilities of Malays under Malaysian law.
In Malaysia, many Javanese people still speak theJavanese language in their daily lives, especially those residing in the states ofSelangor,Perak, andJohor. However, younger generations of Javanese living in urban areas have largely lost their ability to speakJavanese, opting instead for standard Malay or other Malay dialects as their primary means of communication. Additionally, most Javanese Malays in Malaysia have adopted typical Malay names.
The "special privileges of Malays" were established by Malaysia's founding leaders as compensation for the willingness of the indigenous Malay population to accept Chinese and Indian ethnic communities as part of Malaya's multiracial society. These privileges are enshrined in Article 153 of thePerlembagaan Persekutuan Tanah Melayu 1948 (Federal Constitution of Malaya 1948). SinceJavanese people are classified as Malays in Malaysia, they benefit from these special privileges granted by the Malaysian constitution. Below are some of the key privileges of Malays as outlined in theFederal Constitution of Malaysia:
Relations between Indonesia and Malaysia have often been strained due to disputes over claims to various forms of art and culture. Shared historical backgrounds, geographic proximity, and migration between the two countries have resulted in many cultural and artistic similarities. Javanese culture brought by Javanese immigrants has been at the center of several tensions between Indonesia and Malaysia, including disputes overReog Ponorogo,wayang kulit,batik,kuda lumping,keris, andJavanese gamelan.
In 2007 the Indonesian public was angered by Malaysia's alleged claim to the Javanese art ofReog Ponorogo. The official website of the Malaysian Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Heritage displayed an image of theReog Ponorogo performance.[15] On thedadak merak mask worn by the dancers, the word "MALAYSIA" was inscribed.[16] The Malaysian government described the performance on its website asTari Barongan, explaining that the dance illustrated a story about ProphetSolomon and his ability to communicate with animals, including a tiger and apeacock, which were depicted in the performance. In response,Reog artists fromPonorogo Regency staged a protest at the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, expressing their opposition to Malaysia's claim over Reog. However, in late November 2007, Malaysia's Ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Zainal Abidin Muhammad Zain, stated that the Malaysian government had never officially claimed Reog Ponorogo as part of its national culture. He explained that Reog, referred to asTari Barongan in Malaysia, was found inJohor andSelangor due to migration byJavanese people during the Dutch and British colonial periods.[17]
Malaysia was also reported to have attempted to claimbatik in 2008. However, this time, the Indonesian government responded strategically by registeringbatik withUNESCO as part of theMasterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The process to obtain this recognition was lengthy, beginning with Indonesia's nomination of batik on 3 September 2008. UNESCO officially accepted the nomination on 9 January 2009, for further evaluation. Finally, on 2 October 2009, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,UNESCO officially recognized Indonesianbatik as part of theIntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. To commemorate this, the Indonesian government declared 2 October asNational Batik Day.[18]
During theMiss Grand International 2017 event inPhú Quốc, Vietnam, a controversy arose between Indonesian and Malaysian netizens over cultural claims. The conflict began when Malaysia's representative, Sanjeda John, presented a costume titledKuda Warisan in theBest National Costume category, which was inspired by the traditionalkuda lumping dance from theJavanese community in Indonesia.
TheMiss Grand Malaysia organization later issued a clarification on itsInstagram account, stating:
"This National Horse Costume is inspired by the Javanese community living in the southern region ofJohor, Malaysia. In the early 20th century, migration of Javanese people from Indonesia under Dutch colonial rule and their arrival via Japanese trading ships introduced Javanese culture, including this unique dance, which was performed at various celebrations. In 1971, the Johor Ministry of Tourism officially recognized the kuda kepang dance as part of the cultural heritage of theJavanese people living inJohor and as a symbol of unity and diversity within Johor's cultural community. Due to historical similarities, Javanese culture has spread to the southern parts ofJohor,Perak, andSelangor in Malaysia, as well as to Singapore."[19]
Despite the clarification regarding theKuda Warisan costume, theInstagram pages ofMiss Grand Malaysia and Sanjeda John continued to be flooded with criticism from Indonesian netizens, who accusedMiss Grand Malaysia of "stealing" Indonesian culture.
The exact population ofJavanese descendants in Malaysia is unknown, as the Malaysian census does not include a specific category for "Javanese." Malaysia's Constitution broadens the definition ofMalay, leading to the integration of Javanese and other ethnic groups in Malaysia as part of theMalay community. In addition to Javanese people who have long settled in Malaysia and become Malaysian citizens, many Javanese from Indonesia also work in Malaysia. Major Javanese population centers in Malaysia can be found inJohor, Selangor,Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, andPerak. It is estimated that there are around 1,500,000 people of Javanese descent in Malaysia.[20]
The majority of Javanese people working in Malaysia are migrant workers employed in the informal sector. According toStatistics Indonesia (BPS), in 2015, the number ofIndonesian migrant workers (TKI) in Malaysia was recorded at 97,635 individuals.[21] However, this figure does not include undocumentedIndonesian migrant workers.
Cases involving Indonesian workers in Malaysia frequently make headlines. One of the most notable cases of abuse against an Indonesian female migrant worker was the case of Ceriyati. In 2007, Ceriyati, a domestic worker fromBrebes Regency,Central Java, attempted to escape from her employer's apartment through a window due to severe mistreatment. She tried to climb down from the 15th floor using a rope but was stranded on the 6th floor, requiring rescue by the local fire department.[22] Ceriyati’s story gained significant public attention in both Indonesia and Malaysia. Her case became a turning point in reforming the management of Indonesian migrant workers, including updating the records of Indonesian laborers in Malaysia.[23]
