Resolusi itu ditolak oleh penduduk.

In Malay, demonstratives like ini and itu usually come after the noun.

• resolusi itu = that resolution / often the resolution in context
• rumah itu = that house
• buku ini = this book

So Malay says noun + itu, not itu + noun.

In many sentences, itu also helps make the noun feel definite, so resolusi itu can often be understood as the resolution, not only that resolution.

Yes. Resolusi itu ditolak oleh penduduk is a passive sentence.

A useful way to see it:

• resolusi itu = the thing affected
• ditolak = was rejected
• oleh penduduk = by the residents

So the focus is on the resolution, not on the residents.

The active version would be:

• Penduduk menolak resolusi itu.
• The residents rejected the resolution.

The prefix di- is a common marker of the passive voice in Malay.

• tolak = reject / push
• ditolak = be rejected / be pushed

In this sentence, ditolak means was rejected or is rejected, depending on context. Malay verbs do not change form for tense the way English verbs do, so di- marks voice, not past tense by itself.

Also, notice the spelling:

• passive prefix: ditolak → written together
• preposition di meaning at/in/on: written separately, as in di rumah

So ditolak is one word because this di- is a prefix.

Malay often does not use a separate word equivalent to English was in passive sentences.

English needs something like:

• The resolution was rejected

Malay can simply say:

• Resolusi itu ditolak

The passive meaning is already shown by di- in ditolak, so a separate was is usually unnecessary.

Time is usually understood from context, or made clearer with time words such as:

• semalam = yesterday
• sudah = already
• akan = will

For example:

• Resolusi itu sudah ditolak. = The resolution has already been rejected.

Oleh means by in passive sentences.

So:

• oleh penduduk = by the residents

In Malay, oleh is often used before the agent in a passive sentence, especially when you want to make the agent clear.

However, in some contexts it can be omitted:

• Resolusi itu ditolak penduduk.

This is still understandable and natural in many situations, especially in formal or written Malay. But for learners, using oleh is a safe and clear choice.

Penduduk can refer to residents as a group, and Malay often does not mark plural nouns the way English does.

So:

• penduduk can mean resident(s) depending on context

Malay sometimes shows plural by reduplication:

• penduduk-penduduk = residents

But this is often unnecessary if the meaning is already clear. In your sentence, penduduk is naturally understood as a group of residents.

This is very common in Malay: number is often left to context.

No. Tolak has a broader basic meaning, and its exact meaning depends on context.

Common meanings include:

• push
• reject
• subtract (in mathematics)

Examples:

• tolak pintu = push the door
• tolak cadangan = reject a proposal
• tolak 5 daripada 10 = subtract 5 from 10

In Resolusi itu ditolak oleh penduduk, the context of resolusi makes rejected the natural meaning.

The active version is:

• Penduduk menolak resolusi itu.

Breakdown:

• penduduk = residents
• menolak = rejected / reject
• resolusi itu = the resolution

Notice that the verb changes:

• passive: ditolak
• active: menolak

This is a very common pattern in Malay:

• tolak → base/root
• menolak → active
• ditolak → passive

Malay uses different affixes to show different grammatical roles.

For this root:

• tolak = root
• menolak = active verb
• ditolak = passive verb

Very roughly:

• meN- forms often mark active verbs
• di- often marks passive verbs

So:

• Penduduk menolak resolusi itu. = The residents rejected the resolution.
• Resolusi itu ditolak oleh penduduk. = The resolution was rejected by the residents.

A learner should get used to recognizing these affixes, because they are extremely important in Malay grammar.

Yes, you often can.

Both of these are possible:

• Resolusi itu ditolak oleh penduduk.
• Resolusi itu ditolak penduduk.

The version with oleh is usually clearer for learners because it explicitly marks the agent. The version without oleh can sound more compact and is also common.

If you are unsure, using oleh is a good habit.

No, resolusi is a borrowed word, ultimately from an international source similar to English resolution. Malay has many borrowed words, especially in formal, administrative, academic, and political contexts.

This is why it looks familiar to an English speaker.

Malay also has many other borrowed formal words such as:

• situasi = situation
• organisasi = organization
• informasi = information

So resolusi itu ditolak oleh penduduk has a fairly formal tone.

It is natural, grammatical, and fairly formal in tone.

It sounds like something you might read in:

• news reports
• meeting summaries
• official statements
• civic or political discussions

In casual speech, people might choose a simpler or more active version, such as:

• Penduduk menolak resolusi itu.

But the passive version is perfectly normal, especially when the speaker wants to focus on the resolution rather than the residents.