Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Menurut saya, masyarakat yang sehat memberi ruang santun bagi semua orang untuk menyampaikan perasaan dan pendapat mereka. - In my opinion, a healthy society gives polite space for everyone to express their feelings and opinions.

menurut saya = in my opinion / according to me
- Sounds a bit more formal or neutral, often used in writing, discussions, and presentations.
saya pikir = I think
- Slightly more casual, used a lot in spoken Indonesian.
saya rasa = literally I feel
- Can mean either I feel (emotionally) or I feel / I think (opinion), depending on context; common in speech.

In this sentence, menurut saya matches the more formal, reflective tone about society.

Why do we say masyarakat yang sehat instead of just masyarakat sehat?

Both are possible, but there is a nuance:

masyarakat sehat = healthy society (adjective directly modifying the noun; more compact).
masyarakat yang sehat = a society that is healthy (literally; yang sehat works like a small relative clause).

yang often:

marks a description that feels a bit more defined or emphasized, and
is very common in more formal or careful speech/writing.

So masyarakat yang sehat sounds slightly more formal and explanatory than masyarakat sehat.

What exactly does memberi ruang santun mean, and is ruang santun a common phrase?

Literally:

memberi = to give
ruang = space (physical or figurative)
santun = polite, courteous

So memberi ruang santun means to give a polite/courteous space—in other words, to allow/offer a respectful space.

memberi ruang is common.
ruang santun as a fixed collocation is less common, but it’s understandable and stylistic. More common alternatives with a similar idea:

memberi ruang yang sopan dan aman (to give a polite and safe space)
memberi ruang yang layak bagi semua orang (to give a proper space for everyone)

What is the difference between memberi and memberikan here? Could I say memberikan ruang santun?

Yes, you can say memberikan ruang santun; it is also correct.

In general:

memberi (sesuatu) (kepada X)
memberikan (sesuatu) (kepada X)

In many real-life sentences they are interchangeable. Subtle nuance:

memberi = to give (slightly shorter, more neutral in speech).
memberikan = sometimes feels a bit more formal or emphasizes the act of giving.

In this sentence, both memberi ruang santun and memberikan ruang santun sound natural.

What is the difference between bagi and untuk? Both seem to mean for.

You’re right that both can translate as for, but:

bagi often marks a beneficiary—who benefits, who something is for.
- bagi semua orang = for everyone (as beneficiaries).
untuk often marks purpose or function—what something is used for or intended for.
- untuk menyampaikan perasaan = to express feelings (purpose).

In practice there is overlap, but in this sentence the pattern is very natural:

bagi semua orang (beneficiary)
untuk menyampaikan … (purpose)

Could I just use one of them and say bagi semua orang menyampaikan… or untuk semua orang untuk menyampaikan…?

Those options are not as natural:

bagi semua orang menyampaikan…
→ sounds ungrammatical; you need something like bagi semua orang untuk menyampaikan….
untuk semua orang untuk menyampaikan…
→ repetition of untuk is awkward; native speakers would avoid it.

The original structure is much more natural:

… memberi ruang santun bagi semua orang untuk menyampaikan …

If you really want only untuk, you could rephrase more heavily, for example:

… memberi ruang santun untuk semua orang agar mereka bisa menyampaikan…

But note how the structure changes.

What is the structure and meaning of menyampaikan?

menyampaikan is built from:

root: sampai = to arrive / to reach
causative suffix: -kan → sampaikan = to make something reach (someone)
prefix meN- (here meny- because of the following s sound)
→ menyampaikan

So menyampaikan (sesuatu) means:

to deliver, to convey, to express something so that it reaches other people.

In this sentence:

menyampaikan perasaan dan pendapat = to express feelings and opinions.

Close synonyms:

mengungkapkan (to express, often more emotional)
menyatakan (to state, often more formal)

Why is it perasaan dan pendapat mereka and not perasaan dan pendapatnya?

Both are possible, but they feel slightly different:

perasaan dan pendapat mereka
- mereka = they / them / their (plural people).
- Clearly refers back to semua orang (all people), emphasizing the plurality.
perasaannya dan pendapatnya
- -nya can mean his/her/their (singular or generic).
- Would sound more like each person individually, less explicit about plurality.

Because the sentence talks about semua orang (everyone as a group), mereka matches it nicely and keeps the reference clear.

Could I omit mereka and just say perasaan dan pendapat?

Yes, that is grammatically fine:

… untuk menyampaikan perasaan dan pendapat.

Indonesian often omits pronouns when the reference is clear from context.
However, including mereka:

makes the sentence slightly clearer (these are their feelings and opinions), and
keeps the focus on people’s voices in a healthy society.

So it’s optional but stylistically helpful.

Is santun the same as sopan? Which is more common?

They are close in meaning:

santun = courteous, polite, often with a formal, refined nuance.
sopan = polite, well-mannered; more commonly heard in everyday speech.

In many contexts you could use sopan instead:

memberi ruang yang sopan bagi semua orang…

In formal writing about social values, santun is very natural and slightly more elevated.

What is the overall level of formality of this sentence? Would people say it in conversation?

The sentence is fairly formal:

menurut saya – neutral to formal.
vocabulary like masyarakat, santun, menyampaikan pendapat – more typical of essays, speeches, discussions about society.

A teacher, speaker, or someone in a panel discussion might say this aloud.
In casual conversation, people might simplify it, for example:

Menurut saya, masyarakat yang sehat itu memberi ruang buat semua orang ngomong tentang perasaan dan pendapat mereka.

Here bagi → buat, menyampaikan → ngomong tentang, which are more informal.

Why is there a comma after menurut saya?

Menurut saya here is a sentence opener, like English in my opinion. The comma:

separates the introductory phrase from the main clause,
mirrors English punctuation: In my opinion, a healthy society…

In everyday writing, some Indonesians might drop the comma, but using it is considered correct and clearer:

Menurut saya, masyarakat yang sehat…

Why not say sebuah masyarakat yang sehat like a healthy society in English?

Indonesian usually does not need an article (a / an / the), so:

masyarakat yang sehat already works for a healthy society or the healthy society depending on context.

You can say sebuah masyarakat yang sehat, but:

sebuah makes it sound like one specific society, which isn’t really the point here—the sentence is talking about healthy societies in general.

So the version without sebuah is more natural for a general statement.