Malaysian English Vocabulary

Malaysian English words exists among Malaysians due to the multiracial realm of the Malaysian society.

These words are used either in writing or orally.
This list is not intended to be comprehensive. Please note that many, if not most words listed are very localised or almost obsolete today.

A
ABC - Air Batu Campur (ice blended with melted sugar,beans,corn and chendol
Aci - elderly Indian woman
Ah Long/Along - loan shark.
aiyoo/aiyah - to express frustration. The former's from Indian, the latter Chinese.
amoi/amoy - Chinese girlfriend.
apa - what.
apartment - a medium-cost and high-cost flat with veranda/balcony.
apek - elderly Chinese man
aqua - Derogatory term for transexuals
ATM - automated teller machine.
awek - Malay girlfriend.
aisey man - "I'll say, man." Used to express frustration.
angau - lovesick, in love

B
blue - a brawl or heated argument (for example "they were having a blue"), similar to the British word "barney", offensive ("blue language"), porn reference ("blue movie", "layan blue").
balak - Malay boyfriend
bapok - transvestite, sissy
botak- bald-headed
blur - confused/slow-thinking.
bodoh - stupid.
bohsia - young female slut, literally means 'no sound' ("boh" - No "sia" - Sound) from Hokkien
brinjal - eggplant.
bungalow - a villa.

C
cantik - beautiful.
ceti haram - loan shark (Indian)
chao/chow - goodbye/see you.
cilok - weaving through traffic.
Cik - Miss (a Malay title used to address unmarried women).
cincai - informal, sloppy
chop - to stamp (with a rubber stamp), as well as the stamp itself.
condominium - a high-rise flat typically high-cost with veranda and other facilities.
comot - messy
cut (other vehicles) - to overtake

D
dang - damn.
deco - decoration.
DeepaRaya - a portmanteau denoting the Deepavali and Hari Raya Aidilfitri festival
demo - demonstration.
depa - they, generally used in Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Pinang.
driver - someone who drives, chauffeur.

E
encik - mister.

F
flat - a low-cost high-rise flat typically without veranda.
follow - to accompany.

G
gwai loh - Derogatory term for white person. From Cantonese 鬼佬
gostan - derived from "go astern", reverse
geng - powerful, From Cantonese

H
having-in - eat-in at a restaurant.
hailat - In a deadly situation. From the Cantonese profanity term 閪甩 .
haprak- useless, rubbish
hampeh-useless, meaningles, rubbish
hang- you, generally used in Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Pinang. Used only to address good friends.
horn - (used as verb) to sound the vehicle horn.
HP - acronym of handphone, mobile phone or cellphone.

J
jack (someone) - to praise other people to gain interests of favour
jangan - don't.
jom- let's go

K
kampung - village, hometown (used as a possessive noun, for example my kampung which means my hometown)
kapchai/kapcai - underbone motorcycle
kaki/kakilang - friend, company (literally means 'leg'. e.g. "I can't go, I have no kaki.")
kantoi - get caught in trouble.
kautim - to finish a task. From Cantonese term 搞掂
kay poh chee/kepoh - busy body (for example "why are you so kay poh chee?")
keep - to put away or store, to retain as one's own.
kong already - dead or non-functional
kongmong - confused
Kongsi Raya - a portmanteau, denoting the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid ul-Fitr) festivals
kuih - small cakes eaten before or after meals.

L
lady's fingers - Malaysian/British English term for Okra.
lawak - funny.
lepak - loiter.
leng lui - Pretty girl. From Cantonese 靚女
leng zai - Handsome guy.

M
Malacca - Melaka.
makan - eat.
mau - want (eg "Mau makan?" ; "Want to eat?").
MC - abbreviation for medical certificate, or sick note in British English
McD (pronounciation "Mac-D", no "s" sound) - McDonald's restaurant.
mee - noodles.
megi - instant noodles, adopted from the Maggi brand instant noodle.
member - also means a friend.
Mat Motor - generic term for Malaysian bikers.
Mat Rempit - illegal motorbike racer (male).
Maple'- roadside hawkers
mata - police (literally: eye)
Mat Salleh - a white person or Caucasian
Milo - generic term for hot chocolate or any chocolate drink, adopted from the Milo brand chocolate drink.
momantai - no problem (from Cantonese)
malu - shy/embarrassed

N
nah - here (used when giving something to another person. e.g: "Nah, kotak!" ; "Here, a box!").
NS/KN - National Service/Khidmat Negara
Negri Sembilan - Negeri Sembilan.

O
off / close (an electric appliance) - to turn off the switch of an electrical appliance
on / open (an electric appliance) - to turn on the switch of an electrical appliance
ong - Having good luck. From the Hokkien word 旺
outstation - out of town/overseas.
otai-chief,leader, (Old timer)
otek- Police

P
padan muka - serves you right.
pass up - to hand in (for example "pass up your assignments").
pass motion - defecate.
pat - see kay poh chee. (from Cantonese)
pei hai - someone who feel numb.
Penang - Pulau Pinang.
pokai - being broke. penniless.
pondan - a derogatory term for shemales and transexuals.
Puan - Mrs. (a Malay title used to address married women).
pulun - doing something in a massive scale (for example "pulun download" means downloading in massive scale).

R
ragut- to snatch
raya - festive (usually referring to Eid).
remisier - stockbroker.
rembat- to steal
rubber - meaning eraser (for example "can I borrow your rubber?").

S
sambal - traditional sauce.
send - to take somebody to somewhere (for example "I'll send you to the airport.").
seow - from the Hokkein term meaning crazy.
sirap/syrup - rose syrup beverage.
sky juice - plain water.
slippers - Japanese sandals; as in US and UK "flip-flops", Australia "thongs".
SMS - text message.
SPG - Abbreviation for Sarong Party Girl. Degoratory term to describe an Asian woman who exclusively dates white men.
stylo - stylish. Stylo-mylo is occasionally used.
suey/sueh - having bad luck. From Cantonese and Hokkien word 衰

T
take-away - food purchased at a restaurant but eaten elsewhere.
tapau/tarpau-ed - See take away, To defeat an opponent in games, Similar usage to the term pwned
thrice - three times.
tin - can, especially for processed foods. (for example "give us a tin of beans.") Can is usually reserved for soft drinks or beer/cider.
tani - drinking spree

U
U - university.

W
warung - Malay food stall
wikang - endo (stoppie) or reverse wheelie

(Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_English_vocabulary)
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The list above may be very familiar to some Malaysians, and may not be to some, depending on their geographical locations. However, most of the west coast populations do make use of the words in their every day conversation.

There are two issues here:

i. Does the above set of words belong to the Malaysian English vocabulary, or does it belong to the Malaysian Colloquial English category, which is also famously known as Manglish or street english?

ii. With the evolvement of such language in writing and conversational practice, should the ESL instructors ignore them and rate them as 'grammatically correct'? Or if the use is to be controlled, then to what extent?