Saya mengikat tali kasut dengan rapat.

Here is the breakdown:

• Saya = I
• mengikat = to tie / am tying
• tali kasut = shoelace / shoelaces
• dengan rapat = tightly / securely / closely

So the structure is:

• Saya
  • mengikat
    • tali kasut
      • dengan rapat
• subject
  • verb
    • object
      • manner phrase

This is a very normal Malay word order.

Ikat is the basic root word meaning tie.

Mengikat is the verb form with the meN- prefix, which commonly makes an active verb in standard Malay. So:

• ikat = tie
• mengikat = to tie / tying

In careful or standard Malay, mengikat sounds more complete and grammatical in a full sentence like this.

In casual speech, people may say:

• Saya ikat tali kasut.

That is common in conversation, but Saya mengikat tali kasut is more standard.

In Malay, the main noun usually comes first, and the word describing or specifying it comes after.

So:

• tali kasut = shoe lace or shoelace
  • tali = string, rope, lace
  • kasut = shoe

The lace is the main thing, and kasut tells you what kind of lace it is.

This is different from English, where the describing noun often comes first:

• English: shoe lace
• Malay: tali kasut

It can mean either, depending on context.

Malay nouns usually do not have to show singular or plural explicitly. So tali kasut may mean:

• a shoelace
• shoelaces

If the context makes it obvious, Malay often leaves it unmarked.

If you really want to show plural, you could say:

• tali-tali kasut

But in normal speech, that is often unnecessary.

Here, dengan rapat means something like:

• tightly
• securely
• firmly

Literally, rapat often means close or closely together. In this sentence, it describes how the shoelaces are tied: not loose, but held close and secure.

So dengan rapat is functioning like an adverbial phrase in English.

Dengan often means with, but it can also introduce the manner of an action, like in a ... way or ...ly in English.

So in this sentence:

• dengan rapat = in a tight/secure way

It tells you how the action is done.

Compare:

• Saya menulis dengan pen. = I write with a pen.
  Here dengan introduces an instrument.

• Saya mengikat tali kasut dengan rapat. = I tie my shoelaces tightly.
  Here dengan introduces manner.

It is understandable, but many speakers might find other versions more natural depending on style.

Common alternatives include:

• Saya mengikat tali kasut dengan ketat.
• Saya mengikat tali kasut rapat-rapat.

Why?

• ketat often means tight
• rapat-rapat can give the sense of closely / securely / firmly

So your sentence is not wrong, but a learner may also hear:

• ikat tali kasut dengan ketat
• ikat tali kasut rapat-rapat

Naturalness can vary by region and personal style.

Malay often leaves out possessive words when the meaning is obvious from context.

So:

• Saya mengikat tali kasut naturally suggests I am tying my shoelaces

If you want to be explicit, you could say:

• Saya mengikat tali kasut saya.

That literally means I tie my shoelaces.

But Malay frequently avoids repeating possession when it is already clear.

Yes, sometimes.

In conversation, if the subject is already obvious, Malay may omit it:

• Mengikat tali kasut dengan rapat.
• Ikat tali kasut dengan rapat.

But in a full standalone sentence, especially in writing or careful speech, Saya is perfectly normal and clearer.

So:

• Saya mengikat tali kasut dengan rapat. = full, clear sentence
• without saya = possible in context, but less complete on its own

Yes, a little, but the original order is very normal.

Standard order:

• Saya mengikat tali kasut dengan rapat.

You may also hear:

• Saya mengikat tali kasut rapat-rapat.

That is also natural.

What you usually want to keep clear is:

• subject first
• verb before the object
• the phrase describing how the action is done after the object

So the original sentence has a good, straightforward structure for learners.

No. Malay verbs usually do not change for tense the way English verbs do.

So mengikat by itself does not tell you whether it is:

• tie
• am tying
• tied
• will tie

The time is usually understood from context or shown with time words such as:

• sekarang = now
• tadi = earlier
• semalam = yesterday
• nanti = later

So Saya mengikat tali kasut dengan rapat could mean different things depending on context, though in isolation it often feels like a general statement or present-time action.