Learn Hardcore Malay: Sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi dengan betul. - The new safety system functions correctly.

Itu is a demonstrative that usually means “that” (and often also works like “the” when you’re talking about something specific and already known in context).

In Malay, demonstratives like itu (that) and ini (this) normally come after the noun phrase, not before it:

sistem itu – that system / the system
kereta itu – that car / the car
rumah besar itu – that big house / the big house

So sistem keselamatan baru itu literally follows the order:

sistem (system / the head noun)
keselamatan (safety/security – describes what kind of system)
baru (new – adjective)
itu (that / the – demonstrative)

All of that together means something like “that new safety system” or “the new security system (we’ve been talking about)”.

Can I leave out itu? What changes if I say just “Sistem keselamatan baru berfungsi dengan betul”?

Yes, you can drop itu, and the sentence is still grammatical:

Sistem keselamatan baru berfungsi dengan betul.

This would mean something like “A new security system is functioning correctly” or simply “The new security system is functioning correctly”, but now it sounds less specific and less anchored to a particular, known system.

Differences in nuance:

With itu – sistem keselamatan baru itu
Suggests a specific new system, already known in the context (e.g. the one we just installed, the one we tested yesterday).
Without itu – sistem keselamatan baru
More general; could refer to any new security system, or introduce one that hasn’t been clearly identified before. Context will still often make it understandable, though.

What is the structure of “sistem keselamatan”? Why does keselamatan come after sistem, not before like “safety system” in English?

In Malay, when you join two nouns, the head noun usually comes first, and the describing / modifying noun comes after it. So the pattern is:

HEAD + modifier

Examples:

sistem komputer – computer system (literally “system computer”)
akaun bank – bank account (literally “account bank”)
bilik mesyuarat – meeting room (literally “room meeting”)

In sistem keselamatan:

sistem is the head noun: system
keselamatan is the modifying noun: safety / security

So sistem keselamatan is literally “system (of) safety/security” → safety system / security system.

Putting it the other way around (keselamatan sistem) would sound wrong in Malay.

What does keselamatan literally mean, and how is it related to selamat?

Selamat is a root word that can mean safe, peaceful, or appear in greetings like selamat pagi (“good morning”, literally “safe/may you be safe this morning”).

The form ke-selamat-an is created with the circumfix ke-…-an, which often turns an adjective or verb into an abstract noun:

selamat → keselamatan = safety, security, protection

More examples of ke-…-an:

adil (fair) → keadilan (justice, fairness)
penting (important) → kepentingan (importance, interest)
sihat (healthy) → kesihatan (health)

So keselamatan is the abstract noun, and in sistem keselamatan, it means “safety / security” in a general or institutional sense.

What does berfungsi mean exactly? Is fungsi a separate word?

Yes, fungsi is a noun borrowed from English “function” (or from related European languages).

fungsi (noun) – function, role
- e.g. fungsi sistem ini – the function of this system

When you add the prefix ber- to many nouns, you can often create an intransitive verb meaning “to have / exhibit that thing or characteristic” or “to do that kind of activity”.

So:

ber- + fungsi → berfungsi
literally: “to have a function / to function”

In this sentence:

berfungsi (dengan betul) = to function / be functioning (correctly)

So berfungsi is the verb “to function”, and fungsi alone is the noun “function”. You normally say berfungsi, not just fungsi, when you want to say “is functioning / works”.

Why do we say “berfungsi dengan betul” instead of just “berfungsi betul”? What does dengan do here?

Dengan means “with”, but it is also used to form adverbial expressions (like “in a … way”).

In dengan betul:

betul – correct, right
dengan betul – correctly, in a correct way

So:

berfungsi dengan betul = functions correctly / is functioning properly

You will often see:

dengan baik – well
dengan cepat – quickly
dengan jelas – clearly

While berfungsi betul might be understood, it sounds odd and unidiomatic. To express “correctly / properly” as an adverb, dengan betul (or dengan baik) is the natural choice.

You could also say:

berfungsi dengan baik – it works well
berfungsi dengan lancar – it runs smoothly

Where can dengan betul go in the sentence? Can I move it?

The most natural position is right after the verb:

Sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi dengan betul.
→ The new security system is functioning correctly.

You can sometimes move adverbial phrases, but not all positions sound equally natural. For example:

Dengan betul, sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi.
This is grammatically possible but sounds a bit awkward and “heavy” in everyday speech; it could be used for emphasis in more formal or written language.

Safest guideline for learners:
→ Put dengan betul after the verb in neutral sentences.

How do I say “is not functioning correctly”? Where do I put tidak?

To negate a verb phrase in Malay, you use tidak (or tak in informal speech) before the verb or the verb phrase.

So:

Sistem keselamatan baru itu tidak berfungsi dengan betul.
= The new security system is not functioning correctly.

Pattern to remember:

Subject + tidak + verb (+ complements)

Other examples:

Dia tidak faham. – He/She doesn’t understand.
Mesin itu tidak beroperasi dengan baik. – That machine is not operating well.

Does Malay indicate tense here? How do I know if it’s “is functioning”, “functioned”, or “will function”?

Malay does not mark tense on the verb the way English does. The verb form berfungsi stays the same for present, past, and future. The time frame is understood from context or from time words.

The sentence:

Sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi dengan betul.

could mean:

“The new security system is functioning correctly.” (present)
“The new security system functioned correctly.” (past, if the context is about a test yesterday)
“The new security system will function correctly.” (future, if said as a confident prediction)

To make time clear, Malay uses adverbs or time phrases:

semalam – yesterday
tadi – earlier / just now
sekarang – now
esok – tomorrow
akan – will (often optional)

For example:

Semalam, sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi dengan betul.
– Yesterday, the new security system functioned correctly.
Esok, sistem keselamatan baru itu akan berfungsi dengan betul.
– Tomorrow, the new security system will function correctly.

What exactly does baru modify in “sistem keselamatan baru itu”? Is the system new, or the safety new?

In Malay noun phrases, adjectives like baru (new) typically modify the head noun of the phrase.

Here, the head noun is sistem:

sistem (head noun)
keselamatan (noun modifier: what kind of system)
baru (adjective modifying sistem)
itu (demonstrative referring to the whole noun phrase)

So sistem keselamatan baru itu naturally reads as:

“that new safety/security system”
(the system is new, not the concept of safety)

A slightly different form is:

sistem keselamatan yang baru itu

This can sometimes give a bit more emphasis to the newness of that particular safety system among others, but for most everyday purposes, sistem keselamatan baru itu = “that new safety system”.

Why don’t we mark plural here? How do I know if “sistem keselamatan” is singular or plural?

Malay generally does not mark plural on nouns. The noun sistem can mean:

a system
the system
systems

depending on context.

So:

Sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi dengan betul.

By default, this is most naturally understood as one specific system (“that new security system”). The presence of itu (“that”) also tends to push the interpretation toward singular.

If you clearly wanted plural, you could make it explicit:

Semua sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi dengan betul.
– All those new security systems are functioning correctly.
Beberapa sistem keselamatan baru berfungsi dengan betul.
– Several new security systems are functioning correctly.

But often, Malay just relies on context to show whether you’re talking about one or many.

Is this sentence formal, informal, or neutral? Could I use it in both speech and writing?

Sistem keselamatan baru itu berfungsi dengan betul. is neutral-standard Malay:

It’s perfectly fine in formal contexts (reports, news, technical descriptions, workplace communication).
It’s also fine in polite everyday speech, especially in professional or semi-formal situations.

In very casual conversation, people might:

Use tak instead of tidak when negating:
- … tak berfungsi dengan betul.

But the sentence as given is standard and widely appropriate in both spoken and written Malay.