The conquest of Melaka by the Portuguese in 511 marked the introduction of Roman Catholicism. In the 17th century, the arrival of the Dutch in the region ousted the Portuguese and thus discouraged Catholicism and promoted Dutch Reformed Protestantism (Roxborogh 1992, pp7-8B).
St. Peter's Church the oldest functioning Catholic Church in Malaysia was built in 1710 after the Dutch restored freedom of religion to the Catholics. Christ Church in Melaka, built in 1753 by the Dutch, is said to be the oldest Protestant church in Malaysia. It was handed over to the Anglican in 1838; 43 years after the British took over Melaka.
Most of the Protestant denominations in those days were associated with Chinese and Indian migrant communities and with the indigenous groups in Sabah and Sarawak.
In Sabah, the Basel Mission began its work among migrant Hakka Chinese in 1882, many of whom were Christians. Presbyterianism grew through Chinese churches in Johor and expatriate congregations in Penang, lpoh and Kuala Lumpur. The Boxer Uprising in China led to an influx of Chinese Methodist migrants to Sitiawan and Sibu.
Tamil migrants to Peninsula included the Catholics, Lutheran, Anglicans, and Methodist. The Orthodox Syrian Church came to Malaya in 1932, made up of Indian migrants. Mission to Sengoi indigenous people also began in 1932.
Christianity in Malaysia says that first Malay language New Testament as published in 1667, and the first Chinese translation of Bible was produced in 1823.
