The Malays living in Southern Burma are related to the
Kedahan Malay and maintain strong kinship, cultural and economic links to the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Kedah, Penang, and Perlis) and Southern Thailand (especially among the Malays in
Ranong,
Krabi, and
Phuket) till today. They speak
Burmese and the
Kedah–Satun dialect. Due to the prevalence of Islamic religious schooling among the community, many of these Malays can also read the
Jawi script which was the old Arabic-derived script used in the Malay Peninsula. Most Malays are adherents of the
Shafi'i madhab of Sunni Islam. The
Mokens, although related to the Malays, have their own
Austronesian languages and a separate cultural, societal and religious identity. A sizable wave of
return migration from Myanmar in 1980s has also resulted in a large settlement of Burmese Malay community that is concentrated in Bukit Malut, Langkawi, and Kedah. The present-day population is estimated to be around 8,000 individuals. The 10,000 residents of Bukit Malut are essentially Malays and not ethnic
Rohingya, according to Langkawi Member of Parliament
Mahathir Mohamad. They were actually nomadic Malays who migrated to Thailand and Myanmar before moving back and settled in Langkawi. They all speak Malay well. Nearly 80% of them are fishermen who rely on marine life for a living, supplying fish to Langkawi and as far as Kelantan. They are self-sufficient. ==See also==