pendatang

Malay

Etymology

Affixed peng- +‎ datang.

Noun

pendatang (Jawi spelling ڤنداتڠ, plural pendatang-pendatang)

1. an immigrant from any other country.
2. (derogatory, offensive, ethnic slur) a Malaysian citizen of Chinese or Indian descent.

Usage notes

The word itself is not offensive when mentioning about immigrants from any country. However, it is only offensive when it is directed towards Malaysian citizens of ethnic Chinese or Indian descent, as it implies that they have no place or rights in the country.

Further reading

• “pendatang” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.