Learn Hardcore Malay: Saya rasa setiap orang berhak mendapat maklumat jelas tentang undang-undang asas. - I feel that everyone has the right to get clear information about basic laws.

saya rasa literally means “I feel”, but in everyday Malay it is very commonly used for opinions and guesses, so it often means “I think / I feel that…” in a fairly soft, subjective way.
saya fikir is closer to “I think” in the sense of “I reason / I consider”. It sounds a bit more “in the head” than “in the heart”.

In this sentence, Saya rasa… sounds natural and polite, like expressing a considered personal opinion. Saya fikir… would also be correct, just slightly more “rational / analytical” in tone.

Why is there no word for “that” after Saya rasa? In English we say “I think that everyone…”.

Malay normally does not need a word like English “that” to introduce a clause.

English: I think that everyone has the right…
Malay: Saya rasa setiap orang berhak…

You can insert bahawa (“that”) in more formal writing:

Saya rasa bahawa setiap orang berhak…

…but in everyday speech and most writing, bahawa is often dropped. The sentence is completely natural without it.

What is the difference between setiap orang and semua orang?

Both relate to “everyone / every person”, but:

setiap orang = each person / every person (individually)
Emphasises individuals one by one.
semua orang = all people / everyone (as a group)
Emphasises the whole group collectively.

In this sentence, setiap orang stresses that each individual has this right, which fits the idea of legal rights very well. Semua orang berhak… is also understandable but slightly less precise in this context.

What does berhak mean exactly, and how is it used grammatically?

berhak comes from the noun hak (“right”, as in legal or moral right).
The prefix ber- often means “to have / be with / possess”.

So berhak roughly means “to have the right (to)” or “to be entitled (to)”.

Grammatically:

It behaves like a verb/adjective, and is usually followed by another verb or noun phrase:
- berhak mendapat… = have the right to receive…
- berhak bersuara = have the right to speak / to voice out
- berhak atas harta itu = have the right to that property

Here, setiap orang berhak mendapat… = “every person has the right to receive…”.

Why do we say berhak mendapat instead of just berhak maklumat?

In Malay, berhak normally connects either:

to a verb, often with untuk or directly:
- berhak mendapat maklumat = have the right to receive information
- berhak untuk tahu = have the right to know
or to a prepositional phrase:
- berhak atas pampasan = have the right to compensation

Simply saying berhak maklumat is ungrammatical, because berhak needs a structure like “to do X / to get X / over X”, not just a bare noun. So mendapat (“to receive / to obtain”) supplies that missing verb.

What is the nuance of mendapat here? Could we use menerima instead?

Both mendapat and menerima can mean “to get / to receive”, but:

mendapat is more general: to get / obtain / come to have
It doesn’t focus on who gives; it just means you end up with it.
menerima focuses more on “receiving from someone”.

In this context:

berhak mendapat maklumat jelas = have the right to obtain clear information (in general)
berhak menerima maklumat jelas would emphasise more the act of receiving it (from an authority, etc.), and sounds a bit more formal/official.

Both are grammatically correct. Mendapat is slightly more neutral and common.

Why is it maklumat jelas and not jelas maklumat?

In Malay, adjectives usually come after nouns, the opposite of English word order.

English: clear information
Malay: maklumat jelas (literally: information clear)

So:

rumah besar = big house
baju baru = new shirt
undang-undang asas = basic laws

Jelas maklumat is not grammatical in standard Malay when you want to say “clear information”. The normal pattern is noun + adjective.

Is there a difference between maklumat and informasi?

Both relate to “information”, but:

maklumat is the standard, widely used Malay word, suitable for conversation, media, and formal documents.
informasi is a loanword from English/Latin, used more in technical, academic, or bureaucratic contexts, and sometimes in compounds (e.g. pusat informasi, “information centre”).

In most general sentences like this, maklumat is the most natural choice.

What is the function of tentang here, and are there alternatives?

tentang means “about / regarding / concerning”.

In this sentence:

maklumat jelas tentang undang-undang asas
= clear information about basic laws.

Other possible words with similar meaning (though not always interchangeable):

mengenai = about, regarding (a bit more formal)
berkenaan (dengan) = concerning, in relation to (formal or semi-formal)

So you could also say:

maklumat jelas mengenai undang-undang asas
The meaning stays almost the same; tentang is slightly more neutral and very common.

Why is undang-undang written with a hyphen and repeated? Does that change the meaning?

Undang by itself is not normally used to mean “law”.
Undang-undang (reduplication) is the standard word for “law(s)” or “legislation”.

In Malay:

Reduplication (repeating the word) can indicate:
- plurality,
- variety,
- or it can form a completely new lexical item (a fixed word).

Undang-undang falls into that third category; it’s the normal dictionary word for “law”. It can refer to law generally or to multiple laws, depending on context. The hyphen just shows reduplication in writing; in speech, it sounds like the word is just said twice.

Does undang-undang asas mean “basic law” (singular) or “basic laws” (plural)?

Malay does not always mark singular vs plural explicitly. Undang-undang itself is already a plural-like form, but it can refer to:

law (in general), or
laws (many specific ones).

Undang-undang asas can be translated as:

basic laws (if you think of several foundational laws), or
basic law (in a more general, abstract sense).

The exact translation depends on context. The Malay phrase itself covers both possibilities.

Is asas the same as “basic” in all cases? How is it used?

Asas means “basic / fundamental / foundational”.

Common patterns:

undang-undang asas = basic / fundamental laws
hak asas = basic rights, fundamental rights
konsep asas = basic concept
ilmu asas = basic knowledge

So it’s used quite similarly to English “basic / fundamental”, especially in abstract or formal topics (law, rights, concepts, principles). In more colloquial situations, asas is less common than simpler words like biasa, ringkas, etc.

Is this sentence formal or informal, and in what context would it sound natural?

The sentence is neutral to semi-formal.

Saya rasa… is conversational and polite, not stiff.
Words like berhak, maklumat, undang-undang asas are more formal/academic/legal in meaning.

This mix makes the sentence suitable for:

speaking in class or in a discussion,
giving a speech,
writing an essay or article,
everyday conversation about rights and laws.

For very casual chat you might simplify vocabulary; for very formal legal writing, you might make it more complex and precise. But as it stands, it’s natural and widely usable.