Burmese in Malaysia

Burmese in Malaysia mostly comprise manual labourers and refugees. The 2014 Myanmar Census enumerated 303,996 Burmese individuals living in Malaysia.^[1] As of November 2014, there are around 139,200 Burmese refugees registered under UNHCR for which 50,620 are Chins, 40,070 are Rohingyas, 12,160 Panthays and 7,440 others are Rakhines/Arakaneses.^[2] However, the Malaysian government does not officially recognise all newly arrived refugees as it may encourage more to enter Malaysia as Malaysian officials noted they may become a threat to national security.^[3] Many of the new workers and refugees have frequently fallen into the hands of human traffickers and have been killed by other criminals.^[4]

Burmese in Malaysia

Total population
303,996 (2014)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Kuala Lumpur · Selangor · Penang · Johore · Kedah
Languages
Burmese · Chin-Zomi · Rohingya · Malay · English and other Burmese languages
Religion
Christianity · Islam · Buddhism
Related ethnic groups
Burmese diaspora, Malaysian Siamese

Notable people

• Nora Danish – Malaysian actress, model and television host.^[5]
• Tiara Jacquelina – Malaysian actress and film producer.

See also

• Burma–Malaysia relations