It is estimated that there are around 130,000 Sikhs in Malaysia.

Early Sikh Pioneers

Despite the popular belief that Sikhs were brought to the then Malaya as police and soldiers, historically it is proven that Sikhs were actually sent to Malaya as political prisoners. The first few Sikhs to set foot in Malaya were Nihal Singh (better known as Bhai Maharaj Singh) and Kharak Singh, who were thrown out of India due to anti-British involvement somewhere around 1800. These prisoners were sent to the Outram Road prison in what is now Singapore. In 1865, it is believed that the process of migration of Sikhs to Malaysia started again but this time involved recruitment in the armed forces in the British Empire mainly as police, military and guards.

Prominent Sikhs in Malaysia

• DSP Dalbir Singh Virk
• Karpal Singh
  Karpal Singh
  Karpal Singh is a Malaysian lawyer and politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the neighbourhood of Bukit Gelugor in the state of Penang since 2004...
  
  -DAP
  DAP
  Dap or DAP may refer to:*Dap greeting, a form of greeting in which two people slap and grasp hands briefly; also called a 'fist bump'*Delivered at Place, one of the rules defined by Incoterms 2010 for general modes of transportation...
  
   MP
• Gobind Singh Deo
  Gobind Singh Deo
  Gobind Singh Deo is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and politician and is the current Member of Parliament representing Puchong. He is also the national legal bureau secretary of the Democratic Action Party...
  
  -DAP
  DAP
  Dap or DAP may refer to:*Dap greeting, a form of greeting in which two people slap and grasp hands briefly; also called a 'fist bump'*Delivered at Place, one of the rules defined by Incoterms 2010 for general modes of transportation...
  
   MP
• Kavita Sidhu
  Kavita Sidhu
  Kavita Sidhu is a Malaysian actress and former beauty queen. She is of Indian Punjabi ancestry.She won the Miss Charm International title in 1990. She has been listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first Malaysian to have won an international beauty pageant title.On television, she has...
  
  -Actress/Model
• Asha Gill
  Asha Gill
  Asha Anand Gill is a Malaysia-based model, television host, deejay, veejay, writer, producer, film director, and women's rights activist...
  
  -Model/TV Presenter
• Abtar singh cheema- sinar mas group
• Dr Gurmit Singh-Director of Research, United Plantations Berhad
• Sarjit singh cheema- EX-ISP chairman,incorporated society of planters
• Harjeet Singh Hardev Singh - Deputy Secretary General (Strategic), Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Malaysia
• TKPj. Narender Singh Chand Singh-Pengarah Penjara Sungai Buloh,
• Datuk Suret Singh -road safety department director- general
• Dr. Pola Singh-Director General of Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA)
• YBhg Dato' Dr SS Cheema (Vice-President of Malaysian Hockey Federation & Patron of Malaysia Singapore Sikh Sports Council)
• YBhg Dato' Sohan Singh Randhawa (President of Malaysia Singapore Sikh Sports Council) and others.
• Tan Sri Dato' Ajit Singh-Executive Director at Global Innovation Research Centre,CEO at British Telecom Multimedia Malaysia,Head, Malaysian Research Centre at BT
• Dr Veerinderjeet Singh - the Managing Director of TAXAND MALAYSIA Sdn. Bhd.
• GURMIT SINGH K.S.-Chairman, Centre for Environment, Technology and Development (CETDEM)
• Dato' SS Cheema
• Datin Harbans Kaur Cheema-Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang UiTM for the year 2001,Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang FTMSK for the year 2001
• Mr Sukdev Singh-DirectorForensic Department of KPMG Malaysia
• Dato' Dr. Harnam Singh A/L Mantha Singh-Founder Member of the Malaysian Society of Otorhinolaryngology and World Society of Otolaryngic Allergy
• Datuk Himmat Singh Ralla Singh-is currently Deputy Director General II of the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department. He is also a member of the Board of the Railway Asset Corporation.
• Tan Sri Karnail Singh Nijhar
• Dato' Amar Singh (SAC)(Timbalan Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur), EX-commandent of pulapol Polis training center
• Rabindarjeet Singh-Senior professor, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Head of Healthy Lifestyle Cluster at the Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, USM, Penang, Malaysia
• Tan Sri Darshan Singh Gill-President of GERAKSIKH http://www.geraksikh.org.my
• Gina Dhaliwal-Radio Announcer-THR.fm
• Shebby Singh
  Shebby Singh
  Serbgeth Singh is a football coach, television commentator, and former international football player from Malaysia.-Playing career:...
  
  -Football Coach/Commentator/Former Malaysian Football Player
• Baljit Singh Sarjab-Malaysian National Hockey Player http://www.mmail.com.my/content/24773-baljit-fighting-maintain-place-national-squad
• Kelvinder Singh-Malaysian National Hockey Player
• Dato' Karam Singh Walia-TV3 News Editor, Investigative Journalist and Environmentalist.First Sikh To Be Awarded the Tokoh Maulidur Rasul Award In 2005, the World Wildlife Fund For Nature (WWF) Patron's Award in 2002 and the Green Citizen Award in 2000. Winner of more than 30 Journalism and Public Service Awards from 1997 to 2011.
• Karamjit Singh
  Karamjit Singh
  Karamjit Singh , also known as the Flying Sikh, is a Malaysian professional race driver in rallying, and was the first Asian driver to win the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile Production Car World Championship for Drivers, doing so on his first try. He has been rallying professionally...
  
  -Professional Racer
• Jessy Chahal
  Jessy Chahal
  Jessy Chahal is a local celebrity in Malaysia. She is an Actress, TV host and Emcee. She is also the title holder of Miss Malaysia India Worldwide 2002.-See also:Sikhism in Malaysia-External...
  
  -Actress/Winner of Miss Malaysia India Global 2002
• Jagdeep Singh Deo-Politician-DAP
  DAP
  Dap or DAP may refer to:*Dap greeting, a form of greeting in which two people slap and grasp hands briefly; also called a 'fist bump'*Delivered at Place, one of the rules defined by Incoterms 2010 for general modes of transportation...
  
  
• Keshvinder Singh-Politician-DAP
  DAP
  Dap or DAP may refer to:*Dap greeting, a form of greeting in which two people slap and grasp hands briefly; also called a 'fist bump'*Delivered at Place, one of the rules defined by Incoterms 2010 for general modes of transportation...
  
  

• K. S. Nijhar
  K. S. Nijhar
  Tan Sri Karnail Singh Nijhar or simply known as K.S. Nijhar was one of the three vice-presidents of the Malaysian Indian Congress.He is the highest ranking Punjabi and Sikh in the political party, which is dominated by Tamils. However, he is not the sole Sikh in the Malaysian parliament...
  
  -Politician-MIC
  MIC
  - Business and industry :* Military-industrial complex, the relationship between a nation's military forces and its arms industry* Miami Intermodal Center, a mega-transportation hub in Miami, Florida...
  
  

Gurdwaras in Malaysia

There are a total of 112 gurdwaras throughout Malaysia. 42 of them are situated in the state of Perak

Perak

Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...

, where the majority of Sikhs in Malaysia resides.

Sikh Professionals

Most Sikhs started out as policemen, soldiers, guards and even businessmen. However, it is normal to see Sikhs working as professionals now for example, doctors, lawyers, dentists etc.

External links

• Pertubuhan Belia Sikh Malaysia - Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia