Arab Malaysians
Arab traders had been visiting Southeast Asia since pre-Islamic times, as Southeast Asia was well connected via the sea route to the markets of Arabia, Persia and China.These Arab traders came from all over the Arabian Peninsula, today comprising the nations of Oman, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE and other GCC nations.Islam was later introduced by Arab traders in Malaysia in the 7th and 8th centuries.[citation needed] The federal territory of Kuala Lumpur and the states of Penang, Perlis, and Johor contain a high population of people with mixed Malay and Arab ancestry.This was a historical trend of Arab traders in Southeast Asia who quickly assimilated into the native Austronesian culture.