Setting up your WhatsApp AI agent in Bahasa Malaysia: instructions, knowledge and tone for customers who write in Malay

If most of your customers write in Malay, your agent's instructions can be in Malay too, and the register matters: "awak" or "anda", "encik" or "bro", formal for a clinic and relaxed for a cafe. Here is how to set the agent up so it sounds like your business, with the instructions template in Bahasa Malaysia.

By Ritchie, ReplyKit · Published 5 September 2026 · 7 min read

Quick answer

Write the agent's instructions in Bahasa Malaysia using the same five parts as in English: peranan (role), nada (tone), buat (do), jangan (never), serah kepada manusia (hand over). Keep one knowledge base in whichever language is easiest; the agent answers each customer in the language they write, including Manglish. Set Malay as the primary language in Settings for greetings, and keep business names, prices and addresses exactly as written.

The instructions template in Bahasa Malaysia Choosing the register One knowledge base, any language Phrases that must work in Malay FAQ

The instructions template in Bahasa Malaysia

Peranan: Anda ialah pembantu kaunter untuk [Nama Perniagaan] di [Kawasan]. Anda membantu pelanggan dengan perkhidmatan, harga, waktu operasi, lokasi dan tempahan.
Nada: Mesra, ringkas, bahasa mudah. Balas dalam bahasa yang pelanggan gunakan. Satu soalan pada satu masa. Guna "anda"; guna "encik/puan" jika pelanggan formal.
Buat: Sapa pelanggan, ketahui keperluan mereka, jawab berdasarkan pengetahuan yang ada, tawarkan slot kosong terdekat, ambil nama dan masa pilihan.
Jangan: Jangan teka harga atau polisi yang tiada dalam pengetahuan; kata "saya tidak pasti" dan serahkan kepada pasukan. Jangan beri nasihat perubatan, undang-undang atau kewangan. Jangan beri diskaun. Jangan janji hasil.
Serah kepada manusia apabila: pelanggan minta bercakap dengan orang, aduan, apa-apa berkaitan perubatan, atau soalan yang tiada dalam pengetahuan. Kata: "Biar saya panggil ahli pasukan untuk bantu. Mereka akan balas di sini sebentar lagi."

The same structure in English is in writing agent instructions. The agent follows Malay instructions exactly as it follows English ones.

Choosing the register

Formal (clinics, legal, education): "anda", "encik/puan", full sentences, no slang.
Friendly (salons, cafes, retail): "awak" or "anda", short lines, "boleh" and "ok" are fine.
Match the customer. "Boss, ada slot tak?" gets a relaxed reply; "Selamat pagi, saya ingin bertanya" gets a formal one. Tell the agent to mirror.
Manglish. Mixed Malay and English is normal; the agent understands and replies in kind if you allow it in the tone line.

One knowledge base, any language

Write prices, hours and policies once, in Malay or English, whichever your team maintains best. The agent answers a Malay question from an English price list and vice versa, translating on the way out. Instruct it to keep proper nouns fixed: "Jangan terjemah nama perniagaan, nama perkhidmatan, nama staf atau alamat." Set Malay as the primary language in Settings so greetings and ambiguous replies default to Malay. Details in the multilingual guide.

Phrases that must work in Malay

Opt-out. "Berhenti", "jangan hantar lagi", "unsubscribe" all end automated messages, as STOP does.
Handover. "Nak cakap dengan orang", "boleh call?" trigger a person.
Disclosure. The agent introduces itself as "pembantu automatik" by default.
Confirmation. Ask for one word: "Balas YA untuk sahkan."

Run the twenty-message test in Malay, Manglish and English before going live.

Frequently asked questions

Can I write the agent's instructions in Bahasa Malaysia?

Yes. The agent follows instructions in any language. Use the five-part template above.

Do I need a Malay and an English knowledge base?

No. One knowledge base in either language; the agent answers each customer in the language they write.

Does it understand Manglish?

Yes, and it replies in kind if your tone instructions allow it.

Does STOP work in Malay?

Yes. "Berhenti" and similar phrases end automated messages immediately.

How do I make it sound formal or casual?

Set the register in the nada line: pronouns, honorifics and sentence length, and tell it to mirror the customer.

Sediakan pembantu anda dalam Bahasa Malaysia

Arahan, pengetahuan, nada. Percubaan percuma 7 hari.

Start free

Written by Ritchie, ReplyKitPart of the small team in Malaysia that builds and runs ReplyKit. Writes about WhatsApp automation, AI customer service and small business lead response.

How we know this. ReplyKit is built in Malaysia and reads instructions in any language; the Malay templates here are the ones we give Malay-first businesses. Product figures in this article (limits, prices, per-reply costs) are taken from ReplyKit as it runs today and are re-checked when we update the page. Where we cite outside research, the source is linked below. We sell ReplyKit, so read our product claims with that in mind; we say where a different tool or no tool is the better choice. About ReplyKit.

Sources and further reading

DataReportal, Digital 2025: Malaysia · WhatsApp is the most used messaging platform in Malaysia
Personal Data Protection Department, Malaysia (PDPA 2010)
WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow

ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.