IndonesianMalay

Indonesian Malay, also known as Bahasa Indonesia, is the standardized variety of the Malay language used as the official language of Indonesia. It is employed in government, education, media, and commerce, and functions as a lingua franca among the country’s diverse ethnic groups. Indonesian Malay coexists with hundreds of regional languages, which remain widely spoken in everyday life.

Indonesian Malay belongs to the Malay language family within the Austronesian stock and is closely related to Malaysian Malay and other Malay varieties. The two are largely mutually intelligible, though differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and some grammar exist. Indonesian Malay uses the Latin alphabet, with spelling and punctuation governed by the Pedoman Umum Ejaan Bahasa Indonesia (PUEBI).

Historically, Malay has served as a regional lingua franca across maritime Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, a standard form based on Malay dialects from Riau and western Sumatra was promoted during the late colonial period, and after independence in 1945 Bahasa Indonesia was established as the national language. Language planning emphasized unity, literacy, and modernization through consistent spelling, terminology, and schooling.

Today Indonesian Malay is the primary medium of instruction in schools and universities, and the main language of government, media, and public discourse. It incorporates loanwords from Dutch and other languages, including Sanskrit, Arabic, Tamil, Chinese, and English, reflecting historical contact and modern technology. Regional languages continue to thrive as mother tongues, while Indonesian Malay serves as common ground for communication across the archipelago and among Indonesian communities abroad.