The Malays form the majority of the population. Some Malays are of Arab descent and there are sizable Chinese and Indian communities. (In Malaysia there is 3 main races, Malays, Chinese and Indians. Malays can trace their ancestors to Indonesians and arabians.) Islam is the largest as well as the official religion of the federation. The Malay language is the official language. The Malay language was originally written in Pallava from India, the earliest known inscriptions in Malay were found in southern Sumatra and on the island of Bangka and date from 683–6 AD. They were written in an Indian script during the time of the kingdom of Srivijaya, but nowadays, the Roman alphabet (Rumi) is more often used.
Malaysia is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and participates in many international organisations such as the United Nations. As a former British colony, it is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is also a member of the Developing 8 Countries.