In 2020, Indonesians made up the largest group of Asian immigrants in the country, with around 1.24 million such immigrants there. In that year, close to 11 percent of the Malaysia population were immigrants.

As of 2020, the number of immigrants in Malaysia amounted to approximately 3.48 million. As one of the biggest economies in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is an attractive destination for workers from neighboring countries seeking better wages and employment.

Indonesians make up the majority of immigrants
With their shared culture, religion and a very similar language, Indonesia was the single biggest contributor of immigrants to Malaysia. Indonesians also make up the bulk of migrant workers there, with many having sought employment in construction, agriculture, or as domestic helpers. In 2017, however, the estimated number of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia differed from the official numbers given by the Indonesian government, indicating a significant portion who might have undertaken the journey to work in Malaysia illegally.

Perceptions on immigration
Immigration is a sensitive topic in Malaysia, and more Malaysians seemed to view it negatively than positively. Immigrants, especially those in Malaysia illegally, are routinely blamed for a host of problems from crime to loss of jobs, and Malaysians seemed to believe that there were more immigrants than there actually were in the country. Despite their misgivings, however, Malaysia needed these immigrants to take on jobs that most locals would not do and to make up for the shortage of manpower it faced.

As of July 2024, 70.4 percent of the Malaysian population were classified as Bumiputera, 22.4 percent were classified as ethnic Chinese, and 6.5 percent as ethnic Indians. Those who do not fall under these three main ethnic groups are classified as ‘Other’. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society with three main ethnicities and language groups. Who are Malaysia’s Bumiputera? Bumiputera, meaning sons of the soil, is a term used to categorize the Malays, as well as the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, also known as orang asli, and the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak. As of July 2023, the Bumiputera share of the population in Sabah was 89 percent, while that in Sarawak was 76.1 percent. Thus, the incorporation of the states of Sabah and Sarawak during the formation of Malaysia ensured that the ethnic Malays were able to maintain a majority share of the Malaysian population. Bumiputera privileges and ethnic-based politics The rights and privileges of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak are enshrined in Article 153 of Malaysia’s constitution. This translated, in practice, to a policy of affirmative action to improve the economic situation of this particular group, through the New Economic Policy introduced in 1971. 50 years on, it is questionable whether the policy has achieved its aim. Bumiputeras still lag behind the other ethnic two major groups in terms of monthly household income. However, re-thinking this policy will certainly be met by opposition from those who have benefitted from it.

In 2020, Malaysians made up the largest share of Asian immigrants in Singapore, with around 1.13 million people. In that year, close to 43 percent of the Singapore population were immigrants. This includes both the non-resident population as well as permanent residents, students, and work pass holders.

Among countries with the highest number of overseas Chinese on each continent, the largest Chinese diaspora community is living in Indonesia, numbering more than ten million people. Most of these people are descendants from migrants born in China, who have moved to Indonesia a long time ago. On the contrary, a large part of overseas Chinese living in Canada and Australia have arrived in these countries only during the last two decades. China as an emigration country Many Chinese people have emigrated from their home country in search of better living conditions and educational chances. The increasing number of Chinese emigrants has benefited from loosened migration policies. On the one hand, the attitude of the Chinese government towards emigration has changed significantly. Overseas Chinese are considered to be strong supporters for the overall strength of Chinese culture and international influence. On the other hand, migration policies in the United States and Canada are changing with time, expanding migration opportunities for non-European immigrants. As a result, China has become one of the world’s largest emigration countries as well as the country with the highest outflows of high net worth individuals. However, the mass emigration is causing a severe loss of homegrown talents and assets. The problem of talent and wealth outflow has raised pressing questions to the Chinese government, and a solution to this issue is yet to be determined. Popular destinations among Chinese emigrants Over the last decades, English speaking developed countries have been popular destinations for Chinese emigrants. In 2022 alone, the number of people from China naturalized as U.S. citizens had amounted to over 27,000 people, while nearly 68,000 had obtained legal permanent resident status as “green card” recipients. Among other popular immigration destinations for Chinese riches are Canada, Australia, Europe, and Singapore.