A History of the Church in

Malaysia

Overview

Latter-day Saint history in Malaysia dates back to 1854, when a local ruler of Malacca briefly hosted American missionary Elam Luddington, but the Church did not take root until the 1970s, when small groups of expatriate and local Latter-day Saints began to gather in Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

The Church received official recognition by the government on October 19, 1977, with local Latter-day Saints such as Anthony T. K. Lim taking formal responsibility as Church representatives. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Jenny Lum, Derrick Ho, Chan Wai Leong, and Doreen Khoo Bee Yee were among the first to serve full-time missions. Ricky Tjeong and Ivan Bee Ho were among the first local leaders at the branch and district levels.

As the restored gospel spread throughout Malaysia’s ethnic populations and geographic regions, the Church became increasingly diverse. Despite the great distances involved, Latter-day Saints regularly gathered together to teach each other and to connect to the global Church. The Malay translation of the triple combination of scriptures—the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price—was completed in 2018.

The Saints have also labored diligently to serve and build in their local communities in West and East Malaysia, laboring in many corners of the Lord’s vineyard (see Jacob 5).

Quick Facts

Official Name: Malaysia

Capital: Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur

Largest City: Kuala Lumpur

Official Languages: Malay

Land Area: 330,803 km² (127,724 mi²)

Church Area: Asia

Missions: 1 (Part of the Singapore Mission)

Congregations: 28