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Proclaiming the Kingdom in Varied Malaysia

MOSQUES with gilded domes, shrines with arches, churches with steeples, and temple ziggurats adorned with statues. This is Malaysia, a land where the four major religions of the world meet. Its 16,000,000 inhabitants are Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Ibans, Kadazans, and several indigenous tribes. Probably no greater variety in religion, culture, custom, tradition, and language is to be found anywhere else.

Located just north of the equator in the South China Sea, Malaysia is made up of two geographical sections: the peninsula formerly called Malaya in the west and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo in the east. From the swampy coastal lowlands, through the thick, often impenetrable jungles, to the high mountain peaks​—including 13,455-foot-high [4,101 m] Mount Kinabalu in Sabah—​the land is just as varied as its people and culture.

It is within this framework that Jehovah’s Witnesses are endeavoring to preach “this good news of the kingdom.” (Matthew 24:14) How do they manage to reach the people, with all the different languages, customs, and religious ideas? What is it like to preach the Kingdom message in this land? Above all, what have the Witnesses been able to accomplish?

Meeting the Religious Challenge

To reach people of differing religious backgrounds, publishers of the good news must learn to distinguish a Muslim home from a Hindu one, a Buddhist or Taoist family from a Protestant or Catholic one. How can this be done?

There are clear indications. For example, a bright red altar is as much a sign of a Taoist or Buddhist home as a statue of Mary or Jesus is of a Catholic residence. Equally characteristic are the mango leaves of Hindu households or the Arabic scriptures from the Koran written above the entrance to Muslim homes.

Identifying the religious background of the householder is one thing; getting him interested in the good news is quite another. A typical response, usually in a mixture of Chinese, and English, is: “Semua agama sama lah.” This is followed by, “Sorry, I am not interesting.” With a wide smile, the householder has just told you that he thinks all religions are the same and that he is not interested.

Many Malaysians born Buddhists, Taoists, or Hindus have been attracted by the instant conversion offered by the missions of Christendom and have joined various Protestant sects. Persuaded by their clergy, many of them have shut their ears to the good news. Still, Jehovah’s great name and purpose are steadily being proclaimed in this varied land.

Because of the patience and understanding of Jehovah’s Witnesses, many honesthearted people are responding favorably to the Kingdom message. For instance, consider Patrick, formerly a smoker with long, unkempt hair. He was trained in Chinese martial arts and would become violent when provoked. Though he had no purpose in life, he was struck by the words “death will be no more,” which a Kingdom publisher read to him from Revelation 21:4. So Patrick accepted a Bible study. Excited by the Scriptural truth he was learning, he soon started to relate it to his mother, both by mail and in person when he returned home. But she was very opposed.

One day, Patrick and his mother were disciplining his younger brother, also a karate expert. When the brother started to strike and kick, the mother was astounded to see that Patrick did not retaliate but remained calm. She became very interested in what her son was learning that had such transforming power. His mother made rapid progress and was baptized within six months. She, in turn, witnessed to her 73-year-old mother, a staunch Buddhist. This lady too appreciated the prospect of living forever. Though illiterate, she began to study the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, memorizing as many Chinese characters as she could. Now she too is a publisher of the good news.

Coping With the Languages and Customs

To deal with the multilanguage situation, a well-stocked literature case is needed when preaching from house to house. But this does not always solve the problem.

For instance, being Chinese and having Chinese literature does not automatically mean that a Witness can communicate with a Chinese householder. Do they speak the same dialect? If the Witness is Hokkien and the householder Cantonese, this could be a problem. Since Chinese dialect is tonal, the slightest variation of pronunciation can convey a totally different message. To illustrate: It was more than amusing when a Hokkien-speaking pioneer sister went about in a Cantonese area telling people she was a “mad student” when she intended to say she was a “Bible student.”

Even when the right word is used, it may not mean the same thing to everyone. Being in a multiracial society, Malaysians are generally obliging and careful not to offend anyone. It is particularly difficult for them to say no to strangers. Thus, one learns not to get overly excited when a householder says yes to an invitation to have a Bible study or to go to Christian meetings. Why? Because this does not necessarily mean that he is accepting anything. It takes time and experience to determine who are the genuinely interested ones.

Malaysia is among the countries having the largest number of holidays and religious festivals. These are times when people are busy visiting friends and relatives. The Malaysian Witnesses too step up their activity and use such holidays to declare the good news. But they must do so with tact and understanding if they are to have good results.

Chinese New Year is just such a day. To ensure prosperity for the rest of the year, the Taoists believe in starting off the new year with kind words and good deeds. On that day, a Witness will avoid using such words as “death,” “sickness,” and “pain.” Rather, he will dwell on happy themes, such as “living forever in good health with lasting peace and prosperity in a new world.” This holiday is not the time to remind people of their woes.

In the “Land of the Headhunters”

Since the “great crowd” is made up of individuals “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,” we cannot help but think of the many indigenous tribes of East Malaysia. (Revelation 7:9) It is heartening to see that an increasing number of the inhabitants of Sarawak​—once known as the Land of the Headhunters—​are responding to the Kingdom message.

For example, four years ago in the coastal oil-town of Miri, in Sarawak, there were only three Kingdom publishers. Today, many are showing interest in learning about the Bible. A pioneer sister reports 17 Bible studies, and some of her students are themselves conducting studies with other interested persons. There is now a thriving congregation in the little town of Miri.

A distinctive feature of the Iban people of Sarawak is the longhouse. This long structure on stilts is constructed of hardwood and palm leaves. Usually built on a riverbank at the fringe of the jungle, it consists of a row of from 30 to 40 or more dwellings side by side along a common hallway. Much of our preaching work is done in this type of territory.

On one occasion, a Bible talk on the subject “What Hope for the Dead?” was to be given at one of these longhouses. The tuai rumah, or headman, gathered all the people into the ruai, or common hall. Everyone listened politely and in perfect silence until the talk was finished. Then, one man asked: “How can the dead know nothing?” Another insisted that the good are already in heaven and the bad in a burning hell. But some did find the prospect of living forever on a paradise earth attractive and wanted to know more. It was just as when Paul spoke to the Athenians on the Areopagus.​—Acts 17:32-34.

In another longhouse lived Juing Insoll, a 72-year-old Iban who belonged to the Anglican Church. As a youth, he was puzzled by questions such as these: How can a loving God torment dead ones eternally in a burning hell? If there is a God, why is there so much injustice? No one could give him satisfactory answers. One day a friend of his from the city obtained a copy of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. Noting that it might answer Juing’s questions, the friend lent him the book. What a delight for Juing! At last, after 60 years of searching, he had found the truth about God!

Juing was determined to get a copy of the book for himself. He traveled the 150 miles [240 km] to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, and scoured the bookshops. Not a sign of the book. That night, in a relative’s home, he heard that another relative had a copy. He was directed to the local Kingdom Hall and obtained 15 different publications to take back to his longhouse.

After reading all that material, Juing was back in the city, asking to be baptized. The elders smiled and shook their heads. To their surprise, however, they soon discovered that he was fully qualified. So, baptized he was! Back in the longhouse, and loaded with more Bible literature, Juing began to preach to his neighbors. At first, he wondered why his friends did not accept the truth right after reading the books. But he soon realized that he had to study the Bible with them. Juing’s field service report was always in the form of a diary!

From the isolated town of Lahad Datu in the state of Sabah came this report: A young married woman with three children learned the truth through a Bible study conducted by mail by a sister in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. Eventually, the woman decided to get baptized at a circuit assembly. In the middle of the baptism talk, however, her husband burst in and demanded that she return home with him.

Back home, the husband tried to make amends but without success. Finally, he cried out: “Now, what do you want?” “I want to get baptized,” his wife replied. “Is it that important to you?” he asked. “Yes, it is the most important occasion of my life.” “All right!” he finally responded. “Call your elder. I will build a swimming pool for you to get baptized here.”

True to his words, that was what the man did. And his wife was baptized during the circuit overseer’s next visit​—in the swimming pool her husband had built for her! But what gave this sister such determination? Well, even though she was isolated, she regularly prepared all the material for the different meetings. If she ever missed a “meeting,” she felt as if she had missed a meal. This sister now teaches her children and conducts three home Bible studies.

‘The Little One Becoming a Thousand’

The Kingdom work in Malaysia was opened up by Alfred and Thelma Wicke, who went there from Australia in 1939. Their faithful missionary service has stretched out to almost 50 years, and how wonderfully Jehovah has blessed their efforts! Since the establishment of the branch office in Penang in 1972, with Brother Wicke as branch overseer, the preaching work in Malaysia has gained momentum. At that time, there were 207 Kingdom publishers. Ten years later, the number had tripled. So, in July 1983, the branch was moved to Klang, a port city near the federal capital, Kuala Lumpur. The new branch premises consist of a row of three two-story buildings, well suited to the present needs. (See page 26.)

A few years ago, an intensified effort was made to take the Kingdom message to more of the Chinese- and Tamil-speaking population. Now, besides two Chinese congregations, there are Chinese and Tamil groups in several other congregations as well as a thriving Japanese group of about 20 persons.

Throughout the territory, there are now 20 congregations, with nearly 900 Kingdom publishers. This gives a publisher-to-population ratio of about 1 to 18,500. So there is yet much work to be done. As an indication of the potential for growth, 2,633 people came to the 1988 Memorial celebration. The Malaysian Witnesses were delighted with this, and more are reaching out for the full-time ministry. Yes, and Jehovah’s Witnesses in Malaysia are eagerly looking forward to reaching the 1,000-publisher mark. Well do they remember Jehovah’s promise: “The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time.”​—Isaiah 60:22.

[Map on page 26]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

Penang

Kuala Lumpur

Klang

Singapore

MALAY PENINSULA

SUMATRA

EQUATOR

South China Sea

PHILIPPINES

SABAH

Kota Kinabalu

Mt. Kinabalu

Lahad Datu

BRUNEI

Miri

MALAYSIA

SARAWAK

Kuching

BORNEO

600 Km

400 MI