Filipinos in Malaysia
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 325,089 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Sabah, Greater Kuala Lumpur, Johor | |
| Languages | |
| Tausug, Chavacano, Yakan, Iranun, Maranao, Maguindanao, Sama-Bajaw languages, Filipino, English, Malay | |
| Religion | |
| Islam and Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Filipinos |
The Filipino Malaysians consists of people of full or partial Filipino descent who were born in or immigrated to Malaysia. Filipino in Malaysia comprise migrants and residents from the Philippines and their descendants living in Malaysia. Because of the short distance between the two nations, many Filipinos mainly from the Mindanao islands have migrated to the Malaysian state of Sabah to escape from the war in the Southern Philippines, poverty and in search for better lives. 325,089 Filipinos live in Malaysia. Many of them are illegal residents while there are a smaller number of migrant workers and fewer permanent residents.
Most of the Filipinos especially the Bajau had lived around the state of Sabah even since before the colonial period, while the Suluk had lived on the eastern part of Sabah from Kudat to Tawau as these areas was once under the influence of the Sultanate of Sulu. Other Filipinos Kababayan such as Ilonggo, Waray, Zamboangueño (living in Semporna since prior to the creation of Malaysia), Tagalog, Cebuano and Bicolanos then come to North Borneo (present-day Sabah) in 1920s and 1930s to work under the British government and various private companies. A large number of the Filipinos in Malaysia are Moros.
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