Malay

The Malays make up 23% of the population in Sarawak. Traditionally fishermen, these seafaring people chose to form settlements on the banks of the many rivers of Sarawak. Today, many Malays have migrated to the cities where they are heavily involved in the public and private sectors and taken up various professions.

Malay villages, known as Kampungs, are a cluster of wooden houses on stilts, many of which are still located by rivers on the outskirts of major towns and cities, play home to traditional cottage industries. The Malays are famed for their wood carvings, silver and brass craftings as well as traditional Malay textile weaving with silver and gold thread (kain songket). Malay in Sarawak have a distinct dialect which is called "Melayu Sarawak" (in some official cases, it is recognized as a separate language). The culture of Sarawakian Malay is also somewhat unique such as 'bermukun', Sarawak zapin, and 'keringkam' weaving.

In Federal Constitution, Malays are Muslim by religion, having been converted to the faith some 600 years ago with the Islamification of the native region. Their religion is reflected in their culture and art and Islamic symbolism is evident in local architecture – from homes to government buildings. In Malaysia, for statistical purpose, Javanese and Bugis including some other Indonesian-origin ethnics like Banjar are categorized under Malay ethnic group.