Armenians have been living in Southeast Asia since the 16th-17th centuries. They took root in the Malacca Peninsula, settled in Georgetown, Penang, and played a crucial role in the province's economic, cultural, and architectural history for a short time.

About 500 Armenians lived in Malaysia in 1897, concentrated in the cities of Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown and Malacca. Currently, the few Armenians living in Malaysia are concentrated mainly in Kuala Lumpur. On May 28, 2011, at the initiative of Emil Petrosyan, an Armenian community was formed and a Sunday school opened.

A Divine Liturgy was celebrated for the first time at the St. Michael Holy Mother of God Church in Kuala Lumpur (Russian Orthodox) in 2017. Currently, the community works closely with Armenian organizations in Singapore, Thailand and China.