Semakin lama gangguan bekalan elektrik berlaku, semakin banyak premis terjejas.

It means the more ..., the more ... or the longer ..., the more ..., depending on the words used.

In this sentence:

• Semakin lama ... = The longer ...
• semakin banyak ... = the more ...

So this is a very common Malay structure for showing a change that increases together with another change.

A few similar examples:

• Semakin tinggi harga, semakin sedikit pembeli.
  = The higher the price, the fewer the buyers.
• Semakin rajin dia belajar, semakin baik keputusannya.
  = The harder he studies, the better his results.

Yes. Lama means long or for a long time.

In semakin lama, it means longer and longer or the longer.

So:

• lama = long
• semakin lama = longer / increasingly long / the longer

Here it refers to the duration of the power disruption.

This is a noun phrase:

• gangguan = disruption, disturbance, interruption
• bekalan = supply
• elektrik = electricity, electric

So gangguan bekalan elektrik means:

• power supply disruption
• electricity supply disruption
• often naturally translated as power outage or power interruption

Malay often builds noun phrases by putting the main noun first and then the words that describe it:

• gangguan
  • bekalan elektrik = disruption of electricity supply

Berlaku means to happen, to occur, or sometimes to take place.

In this sentence, gangguan bekalan elektrik berlaku means:

• the power outage occurs
• more naturally in English: the power outage lasts / continues

So even though the literal meaning is closer to occurs, the best English translation in context is often lasts, because the sentence is talking about duration.

Yes, itu is optional here.

• gangguan bekalan elektrik berlaku = a power supply disruption occurs / is happening
• gangguan bekalan elektrik itu berlaku = that/the power supply disruption occurs

Without itu, the sentence sounds more like a general statement.
With itu, it can sound a bit more specific, referring to a particular outage already known in the conversation.

So the original sentence is natural because it states a general cause-and-effect relationship.

Premis means premises, meaning buildings, business locations, or properties.

In Malay, nouns usually do not change form for singular and plural. The same word can mean one or many, depending on context.

Here, banyak already shows that it is plural:

• banyak premis = many premises

So there is no need to change premis itself.

This is very different from English, where singular/plural often changes the noun form.

Terjejas means affected, impacted, or adversely affected.

It usually suggests that something has been negatively influenced by an event or situation.

So:

• premis terjejas = affected premises / premises that are affected

In this sentence:

• semakin banyak premis terjejas = more and more premises are affected or = the more premises are affected

It is related to the ter- form, but in many sentences like this, learners can understand it most easily as an adjectival or result-state form meaning affected.

So premis terjejas describes the state of the premises:

• the premises are affected

You do not need to think of it exactly like the English passive every time, but in translation it often works like one.

Compare:

• rumah itu rosak = that house is damaged
• premis itu terjejas = that premises/building is affected

Malay often leaves out the verb to be.

So where English says:

• the premises are affected

Malay can simply say:

• premis terjejas

This is normal and very common.

Other examples:

• Dia sakit. = He is sick.
• Rumah itu besar. = The house is big.
• Mereka marah. = They are angry.

So premis terjejas is perfectly natural Malay.

Malay and English often organize information differently.

This sentence is structured as:

• Semakin lama
  • situation 1,
• semakin banyak
  • result 2

Literally:

• The longer the power supply disruption happens, the more premises affected.

Natural English adds extra words such as lasts and are:

• The longer the power outage lasts, the more premises are affected.

So the core logic is the same, but English usually needs more explicit grammar words.

Yes, but the structure changes.

• gangguan bekalan elektrik = disruption of electricity supply
• bekalan elektrik terganggu = the electricity supply is disrupted

Both are natural, but they are built differently:

1. gangguan bekalan elektrik berlaku
   = a power supply disruption occurs

2. bekalan elektrik terganggu
   = the electricity supply is disrupted

If you rewrote the sentence, you might get something like:

• Semakin lama bekalan elektrik terganggu, semakin banyak premis terjejas.

That is also natural and very close in meaning.

Yes. The exact English wording depends on context.

By itself, semakin banyak often means more and more:

• Semakin banyak orang datang. = More and more people are coming.

But in the semakin ..., semakin ... pattern, it often corresponds to the more ...:

• Semakin lama ..., semakin banyak ... = The longer ..., the more ...

So both ideas are present:

• an increasing number
• linked to the increase in the first part of the sentence

The comma is very helpful and standard here because it separates the two balancing parts of the semakin ..., semakin ... structure.

• Semakin lama gangguan bekalan elektrik berlaku, semakin banyak premis terjejas.

It makes the sentence easier to read, especially in formal writing.

Without the comma, the sentence is still understandable, but the punctuation improves clarity.

It sounds neutral to formal.

Words like:

• gangguan bekalan elektrik
• premis
• terjejas

are common in news reports, official statements, and formal discussion.

In very casual speech, someone might use simpler wording, depending on region and context. But the given sentence is completely natural and appropriate, especially in written Malay.

A very literal translation might be:

• The longer the electricity supply disruption happens, the more premises affected.

That helps show the Malay structure, but it is not natural English.

A better English translation is:

• The longer the power outage lasts, the more premises are affected.

So when reading Malay, it is often useful to understand both:

1. the literal structure
2. the natural English meaning