Examined the frequency of K. Schneider's (1959) first rank symptoms (FRS) in 221 Malay patients with functional psychosis. The prevalence of FRS in schizophrenia (SCZ) was 26.7%. The most common symptoms were voice arguing, passivity phenomena, and somatic passivity. In the absence of organic brain dysfunction, the specificity of FRS for SCZ was 87.8%, and their positive predictive value was 90.6%. Findings suggest that although FRS are not pathognomonic of SCZ, their presence should be regarded as strongly suggestive of SCZ in the absence of organic etiology. FRS do not, however, occur with sufficient frequency to have potential diagnostic value in SCZ.