How well-versed are you in the Malay language?
At the National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong highlighted Malay as Singapore’s national language, saying that it is an integral part of Singapore’s identity and encouraged Singaporeans to learn it.
Following PM Wong’s speech, local comedian Fadzri Rashid — better known as Fakkah Fuzz — has shared a few more reasons to pick up the language.
In a TikTok video on Tuesday (Aug 25), Fadzri said he had noticed some discussion about the benefits of learning the Malay language.
“I am here to tell you some of the advantages and benefits that you can experience if you speak Malay in Singapore,” he said.
First item on his list? Potential discounts on food.
“You can get nasi campur (mixed rice) for a much cheaper price,” Fadzri quipped.
While some food courts have fixed prices, some stalls — particularly those run by makciks (aunties) — may offer what he described as preferential pricing.
According to the comedian, while makciks would serve diners who spoke English with a smile, there would still be some “disconnect”.
Those who ordered in Malay, however, would get an “immediate discount”.
@fakkahfuzz Cakap malayoo
Next, Fadzri highlighted how the language could help one express certain emotions with more depth.
Using sadness as an example, he pointed out that while English words such as “sad” and “devastated” worked, they “don’t have the actual emotion attached to them”.
In Malay, however, words such as “kecewa” and “pilu” carried more emotion and could encapsulate how one felt.
Fadzri added that there are also some Malay words that “can’t be expressed” in English, such as terkilan (feeling offended with a hint of regret) and teruja (happiness with a sense of gratitude).
Understanding words like these would then allow one to better understand Malay songs, he explained.
“You know how like Drake songs get you all up in your feels? Imagine that, times a hundred,” he said, adding that some Malay songs are so emotionally charged, they’d leave one wanting to call an ex.
Noting some comments that said speaking Malay is “less efficient than speaking English”, Fadzri disagreed.
“When it comes to expressing emotion, Malays are super efficient.”
He proceeded to give examples of situations where a Malay word or phrase could convey what would otherwise require a longer English sentence.
“If somebody thinks the Earth is flat, you’d usually go, ‘Eh, you stupid or what?’ or ‘Are you dumb’? But in Malay, it’s just two simple words, ‘Bodoh apa?'” he said.
“So yeah, take the time to learn some Malay.”
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