Statistics show that Minnan people represent the largest ethnic division of Malaysia's Chinese population, with one-third tracing their roots back to Southern Fujian. This fact makes Minnanhua prevalent in many of the Malayan Peninsula's Chinese communities.
據統計，大馬的華人以閩南人佔多數，每 3 位華人當中就有 1 位祖籍閩南，以致閩南語成為馬來西亞半島大部份地區的華社通行語。