Learn Hardcore Malay: Beliau akan hadir tepat jam lapan, menurut Puan. - He/She will attend right at eight o’clock, according to Madam.

Beliau is a respectful third‑person pronoun for a distinguished adult (elder, superior, public figure). It is gender‑neutral (he/she).
Dia is the ordinary, neutral/informal third‑person pronoun (he/she).
In formal contexts (news, official writing), beliau is preferred for people you want to show respect to; in everyday conversation, dia is more common.
Don’t use beliau for objects or animals.

Is Beliau gendered? How do I know if it’s “he” or “she”?

Beliau is gender‑neutral; context tells you whether it’s a man or a woman. If you need to be explicit, add a noun like lelaki (male) or perempuan (female), or use the person’s name/title.

Why is akan used? Does Malay have a future tense?

Malay has no grammatical tense like English. Akan marks future time or planned intention (roughly “will”). You can often omit akan if a time expression already makes the future clear:

With it: Beliau akan hadir ... (more explicit/planned future)
Without it: Beliau hadir ... (still future here because the time phrase specifies it)

What’s the nuance of hadir compared to datang, tiba/sampai, and menghadiri?

Hadir = be present/attend (formal, about presence at an event). Intransitive unless followed by a preposition (see next Q).
Datang = come (general “come” toward a place).
Tiba/Sampai = arrive (focus on reaching a destination).
Menghadiri = attend (transitive: attend something), e.g., menghadiri mesyuarat (attend a meeting). So your sentence emphasizes being present/attending, not the act of arriving. For “arrive,” use tiba/sampai.

Does hadir need a preposition or object?

Alone, hadir just means “be present.” To specify the event or place:

Place: hadir di (at) or hadir ke (to) — both used.
Event (object): use menghadiri: Beliau akan menghadiri mesyuarat itu (He/She will attend that meeting).

Is jam the right word before the time, or should it be pukul?

In Malaysian Malay:

Pukul is the standard word before clock times: pukul lapan (8 o’clock).
Jam commonly means “hour” (duration) or “watch/clock,” but many speakers also use jam 8 in everyday speech. It’s widely understood, though pukul is safer in formal Malaysian style. In Indonesian, jam before times is standard. Since this sentence uses Malay lapan (not Indonesian delapan), many Malaysians would prefer pukul here.

Can I change the word order around tepat? For example, pukul lapan tepat vs tepat pukul lapan?

Yes. These are natural:

tepat pukul lapan
pukul lapan tepat They both mean “eight sharp.” Placing tepat first slightly foregrounds the exactness.

Do I need pada before the time, as in pada pukul lapan?

Optional. Pada is a general preposition “at/on,” and adding it can feel a bit more formal or careful: pada pukul lapan. Without pada is perfectly fine and very common.

Why is there a comma before menurut Puan? Could that phrase go first?

The comma sets off the source phrase “according to …” as an aside. You can also front it:

Menurut Puan, ... Both placements are fine. Fronting it often feels a touch clearer.

What’s the difference between menurut Puan and kata Puan/ujar Puan/katanya/menurutnya?

Menurut Puan = according to Madam (neutral attribution).
Kata Puan/ujar Puan = Madam said (often used when reporting speech; ujar is more formal/literary).
Katanya = he/she said (refers to a previously mentioned person).
Menurutnya = according to him/her (refers to a previously mentioned person). Use a name or beliau/nya when the referent is clear; use a title/name when you want to specify who.

Is Puan a name or a title? Why is it capitalized?

Puan is a respectful title for an adult woman (roughly Madam/Mrs.). It’s capitalized when used as a form of address or as part of a title/name (e.g., Puan Aisyah). Comparable titles: Encik (Mr.), Cik (Miss).

If I’m speaking to the woman directly, would I still say menurut Puan?

If you’re addressing her directly, you could say:

Menurut puan, ... (addressing her; many writers still capitalize Puan in direct address)
Or more naturally ask: Pada pandangan puan, ... (In your view, …) In third‑person reporting (talking to someone else about what she said), Menurut Puan is standard.

How do I specify morning/evening? Is a.m./p.m. used?

Use time‑of‑day words:

pagi (morning), tengah hari (midday), petang (afternoon/evening), malam (night), tengah malam (midnight). Examples: pukul lapan pagi, pukul lapan malam. In writing, both 8.00 and 8:00 occur: 8.00 pagi / 8:00 pagi.

Does tepat mean “sharp/on the dot”? Is it necessary?

Yes, tepat means “exactly/precisely.” It’s optional; without it, it just means “at eight o’clock” without the “sharp” emphasis.

Could Beliau here refer to the same person as Puan?

Normally no: Beliau refers to the person who will attend, and Puan is the source of the information. To avoid any ambiguity, you can:

Name the source: Menurut Puan Aisyah, beliau ...
Or flip it: Menurut beliau, ... if the antecedent is clear from context.

Would it be more natural to put the attribution first?

Many would prefer: Menurut Puan, beliau akan hadir tepat pukul lapan. It reads smoothly and immediately attributes the information.

Should I use lapan or delapan for “eight”?

In Malay (Malaysia/Brunei), use lapan. Delapan is Indonesian. Your sentence is Malay, so lapan fits.

Is there any stylistic tweak to make this sound more clearly like “arrive at eight sharp” rather than “be present/attend”?

Yes. Use an arrival verb:

Beliau akan tiba tepat pukul lapan, menurut Puan.
Beliau akan sampai tepat pukul lapan, menurut Puan.