Learn Hardcore Malay: Walau bagaimanapun, majikan berkata hubungan antara jabatan mesti baik. - However, the employer said the relationship between departments must be good.

Walau bagaimanapun is a formal conjunction equivalent to “however” or “nevertheless.” It introduces a contrast or exception, just like English “however.”

Can I replace Walau bagaimanapun with something shorter?

Yes. You could use Walaupun begitu or simply Walaupun to mean “although” or “even so.” But Walau bagaimanapun is more formal and often used in writing.

Why is Walau bagaimanapun placed at the beginning?

In Malay, conjunctions like Walau bagaimanapun often appear at the start of a sentence to signal that what follows contrasts with the previous idea. It’s the same logic as starting an English sentence with “However.”

What does majikan berkata literally mean, and why not majikan mengatakan?

Majikan means “employer,” and berkata means “said.” So majikan berkata = “the employer said.”
You can also say majikan mengatakan, which is slightly more formal (“mengatakan” is the causative form of “to say”). Both are correct; berkata is more neutral.

Is hubungan antara jabatan the direct object here?

Yes. The structure is: Subject (majikan) + Verb (berkata) + Object (hubungan antara jabatan) + Modal + Adjective. So “the employer said the relationship between departments must be good.”

What does antara mean, and how is it used?

Antara means “between” or “among.” Here it shows a relationship connecting two or more entities: hubungan antara jabatan = “relationship between departments.” If you list specific items, you would say antara A dan B, e.g., antara Jabatan A dan Jabatan B.

What function does mesti serve, and can I use another word?

Mesti is a modal verb meaning “must” or “have to,” indicating necessity. Alternatives include harus (formal) or perlu (more like “need to”).
Example: hubungan antara jabatan harus baik or perlu baik, though mesti is strongest.

Why is the adjective baik placed after mesti?

In Malay, modals (mesti) come before the predicate (verb or adjective). Here baik is the predicate adjective describing hubungan, so the order is correct: mesti + baik = “must be good.”

Could you add bahawa after berkata?

Yes. You can say majikan berkata bahawa hubungan antara jabatan mesti baik. The particle bahawa (“that”) is optional in Malay; omitting it is common in informal and even many formal contexts.