THE RACES AT SABAH

Malay

In Sabah, the Malay population is defined by Article 160 of the Malaysian Constitution as someone born to a Malaysian citizen who professes to be a Muslim, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs and is domiciled in Malaysia or Singapore. This definition is loose enough to include people of a variety of ethnic backgrounds which basically can be defined as "Malaysian Muslims" and it therefore differs from the anthropological understanding of what constitutes an ethnic Malay. This understanding of the meaning of "Malay" in Malaysia has led to the creation of an ethnoreligious identity,[1] where it has been suggested that a Malay cannot convert out of Islam as illustrated in the Federal Court decision in the case of Lina Joy.  As of 2010 census, Malays made up 51% of the population of Malaysia.



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Chinese

(huárén) are Malaysians of Chinese – particularly Han Chinese – descent. Most are the descendants of Chinese who arrived between the early and the mid-twentieth centuries. Malaysian Chinese constitute one group of Overseas Chinese and constitute the third largest Chinese community in the world, after those in Thailand and Indonesia. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" and represent the second largest ethnic group in Malaysia after the ethnic Malay majority. As of 2010, approximately 6,960,000 Malaysian Chinese – majority of the population (except those mixed ones) – self-identify as "Chinese". Malaysian Chinese are a socioeconomically well established middle-class ethnic group and make up a highly disproportionate percentage of Malaysia's professional and educated class, with a record of high educational achievement, a high representation in the Malaysian professional white-collar workforce, and one of the highest household incomes among minority demographic groups in Malaysia. Like in much of Southeast Asia, Malaysian Chinese are dominant in both the business and commerce sectors, controlling an estimated 70% of the Malaysian economy. They are also one of the biggest taxpayers, contributing almost 90% of the national income tax and 60% of Malaysia's national income.

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India

Malaysian Indians are Malaysians of Indian origin. Many are descendants from those who migrated from India during the British colonization of Malaya. Prior to this, Indians have been present in the Malayan archipelago at least since the period of the influential Tamil Chola dynasty of the 11th century. Today, they form the third largest ethnic group in Malaysia after the Chinese and the Malays. Malaysia is home to one of the largest populations of Overseas Indians, constituting about 8% of the Malaysian population. They also make up a disproportionately large percentage of the Malaysian professional workforce per capita, particularly in the field of medicine.



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