Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil adalah penting supaya semua orang bebas mengundi. - I feel that a fair election is important so that everyone is free to vote.

saya rasa – literally I feel, but very commonly used in everyday speech to mean I think / I feel that…, often with a mix of feeling and opinion.
saya fikir – literally I think, usually a bit more cognitive, like reasoning or considering.

In this sentence:

Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil adalah penting...

Using saya rasa is natural and conversational. You could say:

Saya fikir pilihan raya yang adil adalah penting...

and it would still be correct; it might sound slightly more formal or logical, but both are acceptable.

What does pilihan raya mean exactly, and why is there a space between the words?

pilihan raya means election.

pilihan = choice / selection
raya = big / grand (also seen in Hari Raya)

So literally it’s like a big choice, which is a nice metaphor for an election.

The space is there because in Malay this is written as two separate words that together form a compound noun. Many Malay compounds are written as two words (e.g. kereta api = train, kapal terbang = airplane).

What is the function of yang in pilihan raya yang adil?

yang is a very important word in Malay. Here it links the noun to its description, similar to that is / which is in English.

pilihan raya = election
yang adil = that is fair / which is fair

So:

pilihan raya yang adil = an election that is fair / a fair election

Grammatically, yang introduces a phrase that describes or modifies the noun that comes before it.

Why is adil placed after pilihan raya instead of before it, like fair election in English?

In Malay, adjectives usually come after the noun:

rumah besar = big house
orang tua = old person
kereta merah = red car

So:

pilihan raya adil = fair election

In this sentence, we have the more explicit structure pilihan raya yang adil, but the rule is the same: the descriptive part (the adjective phrase) comes after the noun.

Can I drop yang and just say pilihan raya adil?

Yes, you can say:

Saya rasa pilihan raya adil adalah penting...

It would still be understood as I think fair elections are important....

However, pilihan raya yang adil:

sounds a bit more natural and complete,
puts a small emphasis on the fairness as a defining quality (elections that are fair).

Both are grammatically acceptable; pilihan raya yang adil is more typical in careful, standard Malay.

Is adalah necessary in adalah penting? Can I leave it out?

In Malay, the copula (like English is/are) is often optional when linking a subject to an adjective or noun.

Your sentence:

Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil adalah penting...

You can also say:

Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil penting...

Both are grammatically correct.

Nuance:

adalah can make the statement sound more formal, neutral, or written.
Without adalah sounds slightly more casual and is very common in speech.

So yes, you can leave adalah out here.

What is the difference between supaya, agar, and untuk? Could I replace supaya here?

All three can relate to purpose, but they are not always interchangeable.

supaya – so that / in order that (introduces a result or goal clause)
agar – similar to supaya, but often a bit more formal or written
untuk – for / to (usually before a verb or noun phrase, not a full clause with its own subject)

In your sentence:

... adalah penting supaya semua orang bebas mengundi.
... is important so that everyone is free to vote.

You could say:

... adalah penting agar semua orang bebas mengundi. (formal, also correct)

But untuk doesn’t work as a direct replacement, because the next part is a full clause with its own subject (semua orang):

❌ ... penting untuk semua orang bebas mengundi.
This sounds off in standard Malay.

You can use untuk if you structure it differently, e.g.:

... penting untuk kebebasan semua orang mengundi.
(... important for everyone’s freedom to vote.)

So: in this original structure, supaya (or agar) is the right choice.

What does bebas mean here? Is it like free as in no cost?

bebas = free in the sense of freedom / liberty, not price.

It means not restricted / not controlled / not forced.

In this sentence:

supaya semua orang bebas mengundi

it means:

so that everyone is free to vote
(they can vote without pressure, fear, or restrictions)

For free of charge, Malay usually uses percuma or free (borrowed English word) in casual speech:

masuk percuma = free entry (no fee)

What is the root of mengundi, and how does the meN- prefix work here?

The root word is undi, meaning a vote.

The verb mengundi is formed using the meN- prefix:

undi → mengundi = to vote / to cast a vote

The meN- prefix is a very common verb-forming prefix in Malay. It often:

turns nouns or roots into active verbs,
can show that the subject is doing the action.

Other examples:

tulis (write) → menulis (to write)
baca (read) → membaca (to read)

So mengundi means to perform the action of voting.

Why is there no word like to before mengundi, like in English to vote?

In Malay, the infinitive marker like English to is usually not needed. The base or meN- form of the verb is used directly.

So:

English: to vote
Malay: mengundi (no extra particle needed)

In supaya semua orang bebas mengundi, the function is similar to so that everyone is free to vote, but Malay doesn’t add a separate word like to before the verb. The form of the verb already covers that usage.

Is saya the most natural choice here, or could I use aku?

Both mean I, but they differ in formality and social context:

saya – polite, neutral, standard; suitable for almost all situations (formal and informal).
aku – informal, intimate; used with close friends, family, or in informal speech and certain styles of writing/songs.

In this sentence, because it’s expressing a somewhat serious, general opinion about elections, saya feels most natural and appropriate.

You could say:

Aku rasa pilihan raya yang adil adalah penting...

but that would sound more casual, like you’re chatting with a friend.

Could I say Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil itu penting instead? Does itu change the meaning?

Yes, you can say:

Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil itu penting.

Here itu works like that or a kind of topic marker. Nuance:

pilihan raya yang adil adalah penting
– more neutral: fair elections are important (general statement).
pilihan raya yang adil itu penting
– slightly more emphatic / topical: that thing, fair elections, is important.

Both are correct; the version with itu sounds a bit more like spoken emphasis or like you are pointing to that concept as a specific topic.

Is the overall sentence formal, informal, or neutral? In what context could I use it?

The sentence:

Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil adalah penting supaya semua orang bebas mengundi.

is neutral to slightly formal:

saya – polite/neutral
adalah – leans slightly formal/written
topic (elections, fairness) – often appears in serious or formal discussions

You could use it:

in conversation about politics or society,
in a classroom, essay, or presentation,
in written articles or opinion pieces.

If you wanted a more casual feel in speech, you might say:

Saya rasa pilihan raya yang adil penting supaya semua orang boleh mengundi dengan bebas.

(still correct, just more conversational).