Bendahari memeriksa pencalonan itu.

Bendahari means treasurer.

It is capitalized here because it is the first word of the sentence. In the middle of a sentence, it would usually be written as bendahari, unless it is part of an official title or name.

In this sentence, Bendahari is the subject: the person doing the action.

Malay usually does not use articles like the and a/an.

So:

• bendahari can mean a treasurer or the treasurer
• pencalonan can mean a nomination or nomination
• context tells you which one is meant

The word itu helps make pencalonan more specific, so pencalonan itu often means that nomination or, in context, the nomination.

Periksa is the basic root, meaning something like inspect, check, or examine.

Memeriksa is the normal active verb form used in a sentence like this, where the subject is doing something to a direct object.

It is formed with the meN- prefix:

• periksa → memeriksa

This happens because when meN- is added to a root beginning with p, the prefix becomes mem- and the p usually disappears.

So:

• root: periksa
• active verb: memeriksa

Memeriksa means to examine, to inspect, or to check.

In this sentence, it is a transitive verb, which means it takes a direct object:

• memeriksa pencalonan itu = examine/check that nomination

So the structure is very similar to English check the nomination, except Malay does not need an article like the.

Pencalonan comes from the root calon, which means candidate.

With the noun-forming pattern peN-...-an, it becomes a noun related to the process or result connected with that root:

• calon = candidate
• pencalonan = nomination

So pencalonan does not mean candidate. It means the act or result of nominating someone: nomination.

Because the root starts with c, the prefix appears here as pen-:

• calon → pencalonan

Itu usually means that.

When it modifies a noun in Malay, it normally comes after the noun, not before it. So:

• pencalonan itu = that nomination

Depending on context, it can also sound like the nomination, because it marks the noun as something specific and already identifiable.

This post-noun position is very common in Malay:

• rumah itu = that house
• orang itu = that person
• pencalonan itu = that nomination

Yes.

If you say Bendahari memeriksa pencalonan, the sentence is still grammatical. It just sounds less specific.

Compare:

• pencalonan = nomination / a nomination
• pencalonan itu = that nomination / the nomination

So itu is not required for grammar, but it changes how definite or specific the noun feels.

The sentence uses the very common Malay order:

Subject + Verb + Object

So here:

• Bendahari = subject
• memeriksa = verb
• pencalonan itu = object

That makes the structure quite straightforward for an English speaker:

• The treasurer
  • examines
    • that nomination

Malay can also use passive constructions, but this sentence is a standard active one.

No. Malay verbs usually do not change form for tense.

So memeriksa by itself does not specifically mean only:

• checks
• is checking
• checked
• will check

The time is usually understood from context, or shown with time words or aspect markers such as:

• sedang = in the process of
• telah / sudah = already
• akan = will

So without extra context, Bendahari memeriksa pencalonan itu could refer to present, past, or even future, depending on the situation.

Malay spelling is fairly regular, so pronunciation is usually close to the written form.

A rough guide:

• Bendahari → ben-da-ha-ri
• memeriksa → me-me-rik-sa
• pencalonan → pen-cha-lo-nan
• itu → ee-too

A few useful notes:

• c in Malay sounds like ch in chair
• r is usually clearly pronounced
• stress is generally not as strong or dramatic as in English

So pencalonan has a ch sound in the middle, not a hard k sound.