In Japan or Korea, it's going to be super difficult to live there if you don't know their language, especially if it is outside of the main city.

China is even harder if it is not the key cities and even if it is, you might still struggle. Same goes for Vietnam.

In Malaysia, how hard is it to live here without knowing any BM?

Told my sons before

English and MY are non negotiable must haves. Mandarin is important to have. Dialects and other languages good to have

Depends on where in Malaysia.

Mont Kiara? Easy.

in the city no problem

Konlampon can, I have 2 friend who can speak mandarin and mandarin only, nothing else ... idup lagi that 2 fello.

Both running their own business.

Easy, mintak tolong sebelah can ady.

Have some shame, if you are going to live in a country for more than a few years, learn the local language. Its fine id you don't master it, but should be good enough to have simple conversations.

This post has been edited by dagnarus: Dec 14 2025, 02:49 PM

why not??

you think deaf people living in malaysia know the language? ts must be a deaf person

So many MM2H here not knowing BM.

yes. hire assistant that do all the things and translate for u. just don't simply sign documents.

owaii.

BM is based on english letters and syllables

haven't met one guy who said BM is hard to learn

in fact some of the modern BM words are direct translate from an english word you always see it around you.

mula apa bossku

Don't need to deal with gov agencies, easy

U know some banggala can speak better Bahasa Malaysia after few month of staying in Malaysia. Pundek that claim Malaysian stay in Malaysia but cannot speak even broken Bahasa Malaysia is just a farking disgrace.

Tatau malu ke

I quote the late Tun Sammy Vellu
"Ini perkara banyak memalukan saya. Sebenarnya, kemaluan saya sangat sangat besar"

Some expats have been living in Malaysia relying solely on English

i saw tourist speak english only

how do you think those japanese korean china chinese survive in malaysia?
All of them know melayu?

download app, any language also can translate.

I’ve a kolik who frequent kl, he only know 2 words.. lepak and bos ( calling everyone bos haha ) … even planning to migrate here. So I guess bm x tat important esp in cities…

Penguasaan bahasa Melayu yang lemah akan menyebabkan kesulitan pelbagai urusan terutamanya kerana ia adalaha bahasa rasmi negara dan digunakan sebagai bahasa pengantar di pejabat2 kerajaan.

Sama sahaja di negara2 maju yg asing seperti di Amerika, Jerman, Jepun, Korea Etc.

Amerika adalah negara yg dibina ratusan juta immigran dari pelbagai negara di serata dunia, namun begitu mereka menggunakana bahasa Inggeris untuk segala urusan rasmi. Mereka tidak menggunakan bahasa Sepanyol walaupun ada jutaan warga latina dari Amerika selatan, ataupun mandarin, jepun korea dan lain lagi.

Jika seseorang memilih untuk meninggalkan bahasa rasmi sesuatu negara dgn alasan seperti tidak ada manfaat ekonomi, ataupun lain2 alasan, anda masih perlu menggunakan bahasa itu apabila berdepan dengan pejabat2 rasmi kerajaan untuk urusan2 rasmi.

Kemudian jika anda berdepan dengan masalah2 disebabkan penguasaan BM yg lemah, maka kesalahan itu berbalik kepada diri and sendiri.

The mentality that government must serve me as best as it does towards the other citizens despite my failure to speak the common language smacks of extreme arrogance and entitlement.

Be realistic lah

Meaning those banggala actually same level with Malay since can speak good bahasa
And even worst many of those banggala outperformed those lazy one that can only speak Malay only

Even married with awek because they richer from hardwork while the local one crying

As long as not stay in Malay majority area or need to deal Gomen, no problem

One coffeeshop in my Taman, owner's Sis in Law is Vietnam Chinese married Malaysian. Till now she can't speak Malay. Indian customer come order,her husband or others go layan.
Go Pasar, etc she buy from Chinese taukeh. Buy from vendor, deal with Chinese vendor.

Kesihatan Inspectors, license Inspectors come, her husband handle.

Go Supermarket, just take the brg, go counter, see the total price displayed, pay


There are M2H Expats living in KL & Penang. They have no problem with communication, they say Malaysia most places can understand English.
That's one major reason they chose Malaysia to retire(other than few earthquakes, peaceful)

Plenty of foreigners staying in Malaysia would not need to speak BM
It depend ur circled of friends and surroundings

This post has been edited by abelyap: Dec 14 2025, 03:20 PM

Local or foreigner? English sikit pun tak tau boleh survive ka…

It is more important to righteous and dutiful. Earn money with the right way and continue improve oneself

Probably too ignorant or living with own kind for generations.

My tire mechanic also same previously. Zero BM. I told to brush up and learn as it might be good for business. Myself also spoke BM with him all the time. Eventually, he gotten so good at it and received more businesses from Malay customers. Now he can joked easily with them to close some sales.

This post has been edited by acbc: Dec 15 2025, 10:07 AM

Plenty 2nd,3rd generation blonde hair, doesnt know bm out there

TS trying to bait out ?

My CCP co-workers been working in KL for 2 years, zero BM, sub-standard English, perfect Mandarin and Cantonese because they are from Guangzhou, no issue at all.

I am seeing more Malay kids speaking to their parents in English when out shopping.

Like my cousins now in Australia, those anak born there don't know Malay anymore. I blame the parents la, so difficult to speak Malay at home issit? Children outside confirm speak English, at least at home don't let the language die. Passport Malaysia, but if balik kampung kenot speak to nenek already ...

yes, just look at cheras kek
lots of people in a certain company that rhymes with tech also cannot speak anything other than cn
very potong steam but their rev higher than certain bumi kompani

Not an issue at all

If you are using Samsung Galaxy AI phones

This post has been edited by GagalLand: Dec 14 2025, 03:48 PM

Many can't accept reality, but hey, reminds me of a certain viral royalty that can barely speak malay too.

You just know the pipu who screams the loudest about this BM plotek din even get A for their SPM

This post has been edited by Ayer: Dec 14 2025, 03:49 PM

Can...but local will say apa lan...

Bangsar area 100% no need BM.

As long as you dont go deal with government then should be ok just stay within your neighbourhood forever… english must know as alternative, if english and bm also dunno then i think sooner or later will have problem …

Expat doesnt know bm but still okay to live on English only …

If Bangla can speak malay and communicate i dont see how Msians cant learn conversational malay … unlike ask you to narrate puisi or sajak …

Evan bangla can cakap bahasa within 3 months, even though it is bahasa mangla, at least can understand

A lot of chinese balik kampung also can’t communicate with grandparents as some only speak dialects but city chinese all mandarin …

those type i know, somemore speaking american slang. that's why there's a perception that BM is B40 language, it's not cina who caused that perception

Boleh je .tapi Jangan mintak macam2 la .

Later kena sideline boleh cry perpaduan , kami suda duduk sini lama .

This post has been edited by nothomobutsuper: Dec 14 2025, 04:11 PM

You obviously living under the tempurong.
20% of China population doesn't know Mandarin, thus vast linguistic diversity remains, especially among older generations and ethnic minorities who often speak local dialects like Cantonese, Shanghainese, or regional tongues, highlighting a rich tapestry of languages alongside the national standard.

Ya reality is you living in Malaysia, not prc not toc Taiwan. The Malays are now 80+% population, you sure you don't want to tap into that market? Among malays there's always a perception that Chinese mechanics are better and more skilled, but just worry get slaughter.

Sorry most B40 speak local dialect and rempit.
A Malay from Johor will have difficulty understanding Kelantan logat.

that's why they able to steal your job and your awek
ended up they got no difference than those that can only speak malay

Yes if they only living in their own bubble and not mixing around.

Those living in balakong cheras are doing well without knowing BM..was in Balakong ystrday..was like a mini china there..

Malay 80% of the population?

Inb4, NOT a SINGLE fxck is given to those S&S native?

(Orang Asli hiding behind the scene, coz no one care )

English is fine since a substantial amount of people here speak English. Even our rempit and ah being at least speak very broken English.

As for Indians and Dayaks, I have never met Indians and Dayaks that can't speak English.

Only matter of time curi Amoi pula? Minachi also?

Those Myanmar living in Selayang and other parts of the Peninsula Malaysia also doing fine?
Same too are those in Rohingya Kampungs?

yea if they can speak chinese than there might be possibility

but chances are much lower maybe because their mindset different with awek

in another country, like Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, or China...
first, pakai mobile translation. then start learning simple words to speak. slowly, you will learn. if malas, boleh berambus...

Seeing the some of the same replies here are crying that UEC not recognized here and said BM is not necessary.

Doing the bare minimum also don't want and yet demand this and that. Oh well ~

You ok or not? As per thread yes can live in Malaysia without knowing Bm..depending on area..

Yes, you can. I have met at least 1 every day

Can, sign language is there for a reason

Big city like KL Sgor no problem lah. Speak BM to them they are like WTF and reply you in Engrand.

Can share mindset for understanding purposes?

Should ask amoi
maybe they prefer same type

yes can, tony fernandes duno malay cos he educated overseas but now he is boss of airasia lol

If youre not going to learn the language of the people around you, youre just making it difficult for yourself.

Like, no thai person is going to care if some farang lives in thailand without learning a word of thai in years. The one ramping up the difficulty of his own life is the farang. Ignorance isnt a flex.

haiyaa....BM is not hard to learn laaa...some more got bonus of senang cari ayat utk mengurat awek2

Different skin colour
Coz we worship brighter skin colour

Owai...

The fact is, everyone knows BM or rempit or BM pasar.

Only the ultra wants to make it an issue.

Use AI all settled.

speak england la....

you see ang moh expat in malaysia no problem.

if you ask me, everywhere in the world other country if you stay and live in expat focused place you dont need to learn their native language at all

Me also teach moi wife, if you tamau our bangsats become like you in UK susah, you focus language education for our bangsats. My wife except mandarin wat also tatau.

Moi yinguris, melayu, mandarin, hongkonghua, Korean beginner, Jippunist beginner, perancis intermediate, German intermediate, Spanis intermediate, Italian intermediate. If I venture middle east I think my alhamdulilah also intermediate Liao.

Go Thailand.

This lady is so beautiful.

Ladyboi

Lady, darling.

Ladyboi

No, lady, dear. Girl you know, is lady. Beautiful lady, you.

Yes darling, ladyboy. Me ladyboy.

Nononol lady is lady, boy is boy.

I got deek, I got boobies, I'm bothhhh! I'm ladyboi!

Finally the meaning is convened. The guy gone. And the other guy "laughed"

Ts huaweei phone user? No google translate?

You didn’t follow any China, Hong Kong, or Western people living here under MM2H? There are plenty of them on YouTube. To answer your question: Yes.

Obviously can.

Just like others can live n succeed without getting tongkat4lyfe

I think you got the story wrong....

those whities seem to be explicitly looking for ladybois half the time

This post has been edited by Porkycorgi5588: Dec 14 2025, 06:39 PM

Both local.

Simple English like yes no one two three tau la.
Form a sentence ... Mampos.

To anger certain type, tell them the truth, to anger the opposite type, tell them a lie.

What type? I kenot talk too much🫣 later kena accuse omniman or whatever lan dupe

You want the honest answer?? Absolutely can

can

In my place the malays all speaking English. Some even speaking mandarin.

BM not needed at all.

More surprising one guy is a travel agent owner, specialize in china n Taiwan trip only. Making quite a few bucks oh, his wife knows england la.

We all know this know that kerja kuli je ... Ish ish ish.

I already calling my sons pendatang.
Send them to Chinese school ,but both come back without much chinese..
Malay worse.. only English..

Got a China friend married a local chinese guy. Already 10 years still cannot speak BM, still can survive.

i can survive in saudi for 2 years plus without single bit of arabic.

i can survive in sweden for months without swedish.

Topkek so harsh

Whatever float your boat la bang

Speak BM but lek LU sap Kok.

Apa kelanjiaoan ni?

Tiunaseng, how many language you want to learn?

Yeah dont end up his kids 14th floor like so many cases already

In city yes since most people can speand and understand basic english, but if those foreigners can speak and understand malay then Malaysian MUST speak and understand malay way better than them.

my take is why not? if u really try, u'll learn it no problem. unless u urself die die no wan learn.

basically a function of if you have any m frens to converse with
not strangers, but friends
ada ka?

kasi chance lah, ramai pekerja isi borang kat jabatan kerajaan hilang kerja nanti.

This post has been edited by crador: Dec 15 2025, 09:07 AM

Yes, just don't stay/talk/near to B40s

I am in the same boat..

It's quite common for children in the city i believe. My kids told me that 60-70% of their classmates in Chinese school converse in English instead of Mandarin at school.

unker super duper look down to those 80,90 and 00 cainis that cant speak practical BM.

Its a disgrace to the land and our identity as Malaysian.

Thats why unker reject UEC.

played golf with korean expat and his wife...he can speak BM worr..ayam quite impressed..hahah

in facebook reels alot of 80-00 cainis can speak fluent BM wor..selling shit in FB..majority malai customers they all sapu liaooo

If they max out at 3 good enough d. Must have no negotiation is the big 2

But i do hope they can speak dialect la. Tiuniaseng and dllmgch is way superior to cnm kek