Tempatan

Tempatan is a Malay-language term meaning local or domestic. As an adjective, it describes things associated with a particular place, such as bahasa tempatan (local language), budaya tempatan (local culture), ekonomi tempatan (local economy), or kerajaan tempatan (local government). As a noun, it can refer to the local area or the local population, for example penduduk tempatan or kawasan tempatan. The term is widely used in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, and in other Malay-speaking contexts to distinguish domestic or native aspects from foreign or international ones.

Etymology: Tempatan derives from tempat, meaning place, with the suffix -an, forming a noun or adjective indicating locality. It is related to other Malay terms for place and localization, such as tempat and setempat. The word can carry a neutral connotation, without implying superiority or inferiority between local and external contexts.

Usage notes: In official discourse and media, tempatan frequently appears in references to local governance, markets, and culture. For example, kerajaan tempatan governs municipalities; pasaran tempatan serves the local market; bahasa tempatan refers to dialects and languages spoken in a region. The contrast with antarabangsa (international) or luar negara (overseas) helps frame local versus non-local contexts. In Indonesian usage, tempatan is understood but is less common than lokal or daerah, appearing primarily in formal or ethnolinguistic contexts.