The indigenous
languages of Malaysia belong to the
Mon-Khmer and
Malayo-Polynesian families. The national, or official, language is
Malay which is the mother tongue of the majority
Malay ethnic group. The main ethnic groups within Malaysia comprise the
Malays,
Chinese and
Indians, with many other ethnic groups represented in smaller numbers, each with its own languages. The largest native languages spoken in
East Malaysia are the
Iban,
Dusunic and the
Kadazan languages.
English is widely understood in service industries and is a compulsory subject in primary and secondary school. It is also the main language spoken in most private colleges and universities. English may take precedence over Malay in certain official contexts as provided for by the National Language Act, especially in the states of Sabah and Sarawak, where it may be the official working language.