KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that lies just north of the equator. The nation is composed of two noncontiguous regions. The people of Malaysia are distributed unevenly between Peninsular and East Malaysia, with the vast majority living in Peninsular Malaysia. The nation has significant ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity. A clear distinction is made for administrative purposes between indigenous peoples, Muslim Malays, and immigrant populations, primarily Chinese and South Asians. As a result, the population of Malaysia, like that of Southeast Asia as a whole, shows great ethnographic complexity.

Helping to unite this diversity of peoples is the national language, officially called Bahasa Malaysia, which is spoken to some degree by most communities. Kuala Lumpur is the country's largest urban area and cultural, commercial, and transportation center. Despite the prevalence of domes and minarets associated with Islamic architecture, the non-Muslim Chinese dominate the city and its economy. The Hindu Indian minority, connected historically with nearby rubber estates, also is substantial.

Those who convert to Christianity break the law and run headfirst into severe pressure from family. The authorities watch all non-Muslim religious groups, but the focus is on non-traditional Protestant groups because they are more likely to testify about their faith. Amidst growing opposition, a wide-open door presents itself to the church in Kuala Lumpur to win its many unreached neighbors.