The year 1511 marked the arrival of the Portuguese, led by Admiral Afonso de Albuquerque, and the first Catholic chaplains.

In 1864, Chinese tin miners settled at the confluence of the muddy Klang and Gombak river mouth, the beginning of Kuala Lumpur.

In 1874, the Treaty of Pangkor marked the direct British rule over the Malay states, while the sultans still maintained religious sovereignty.

By the end 19th century, Malaysia was booming with massive immigration of Chinese and Indians who were invited to work in the tin mines, rubber plantation and railways by the British.

The Catholic Mill Hill Missionaries arrived in North Borneo in 1882 to re-establish the Spaniards effort, and focused mainly on the Chinese and indigenous communities, such as the Kadazan-Dusun people.

[4] Meanwhile, in Sarawak, the Mill Hill Missionaries was invited by the White Rajahs in the hope that it would be a stabilizing influence to the native Iban people.

In 1955, the two dioceses of Kuala Lumpur and Penang were created and the consecration of first local bishops Dominic Vendargon and Francis Chan took place.

From 1970 to 1975 the resurgence of communist activities in the north and in urban centres created more political mayhem and led to persecutions against the Christians.

Parallel to the economical and industrial development of the nation, the Catholic Church in Malaysia grew considerably during these years, emphasising on inter-religious dialogue, oecumenism and religious freedom.

In 1983, the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism (MCCBCHS) for dialogue was formed to represent their interests with the authorities.

In 1986, the Peninsular Malaysia Pastoral Convention (PMPC I) included Ministry to Youth as part of the core needs, besides poor, inter-religious dialogue, unity, formation and community building.

Malaysia established formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 2011 during a meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.

[6] The first resident ambassador of Malaysia to the Holy See, Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, was elected in October 2015 by Pope Francis.

Following the change of government from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Harapan after the 14th general election, Bernard Giluk Dompok was terminated of his service on 30 June 2018.

[7] Westmoreland Edward Palon, who was named by Wisma Putra as Malaysia's second ambassador to the Vatican on 21 March, is a Bidayuh who hails from Kampung Duras, Kuching.

[8] The Apostolic Nunciature in Malaysia was established on the 27 July 2011 through an official act of the Holy See Acta Apostolicae Sedis.