Other immigrants were convicts or members of noble houses from the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia), who were exiled to Sri Lanka and who never left.

[citation needed] The first two storeys of the Grand Mosque in Sri Lanka was built by Mohammed Balankaya, an exiled Malay noble of the royal house of Gowa (in present-day Sulawesi, Indonesia).

[17] During Dutch rule, the religious makeup of Sri Lankan Malays was diverse and consisted not only of Muslims but also Christians and Hindus who belonged primarily to the Ambonese and Balinese communities, respectively.

[2]: 171  Evidence shows certain customs, such as marriage rites, performed by Sri Lankan Malays, fused Islamic practices with Hindu and Buddhist elements.

[19] Malay-origin last names include Lye, Samath, Cuttilan, Chunchie, Preena, Hannan, Sallay, Doole, Kitchilan, Kutinun, Kanchil, Sainon, Bongso, Bohoran, Kuppen, and Lappen.

[19] Arabic names are also used by Sri Lankan Malays, including Saldin, Assan, Rahman, Drahaman, Bucker, Ramlan, Rajap, Jumat, and Mannan.