Agentless passive in formal prose

Level 5

The institutional agentless passive is a hallmark of formal Malay (Bahasa Melayu Baku). It uses the di- prefix but completely removes the 'doer' (agent) from the sentence. This shifts the focus entirely to the action or the result, making the tone impersonal and official.

How It Works

In advanced Malay prose, the choice of the passive voice is a strategic stylistic tool. The institutional agentless passive serves several functions:

  • Objectivity: By removing the human element, the statement sounds like a factual report rather than a personal observation.
  • Institutional Weight: It implies that an authority is behind the action without needing to name them. For example, in news reports, 'Kadar faedah dinaikkan' (Interest rates were raised) implies the Central Bank acted.
  • Responsibility Management: This is a critical nuance at Level 5. Using this form can obscure accountability. Saying 'Kesilapan telah dilakukan' (Errors were made) is much less accusatory than naming a specific department as the actor.

Morphological Rules:
1. The verb must be transitive.
2. The active prefix meN- is replaced by di-.
3. The agent (the 'doer') and the preposition oleh are entirely absent.

Register Note: While you might hear simple agentless passives in speech (e.g., 'Pintu dah tutup'), the institutional variety is strictly for formal, journalistic, and academic contexts.

Examples (4)

  1. Kadar faedah dinaikkan sebanyak 0.25 peratus untuk mengawal inflasi.

    Interest rates were raised by 0.25 percent to control inflation.

    Word by Word: Rate interest was-raised as-much-as 0.25 percent for to-control inflation.

    The actor (Central Bank) is omitted because it is obvious and the focus is on the economic result.

  2. Aduan tersebut telah diterima tetapi tiada tindakan lanjut diambil.

    The complaint has been received but no further action was taken.

    Word by Word: Complaint that already was-received but no action further was-taken.

    This demonstrates 'responsibility management.' By using agentless passives, the speaker avoids naming the specific officer who failed to act.

  3. Laporan itu akan dibentangkan dalam mesyuarat kabinet esok.

    The report will be presented in the cabinet meeting tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Report that will be-presented in meeting cabinet tomorrow.

    A standard formal usage where the specific presenter is less important than the fact that the report is being presented to the institution.

  4. Segala persiapan telah dilakukan bagi menyambut ketibaan tetamu kehormat.

    All preparations have been made to welcome the arrival of the guest of honor.

    Word by Word: All preparation already was-done for to-welcome arrival guest honor.

    The focus is on the state of readiness rather than the individuals who did the work.

Common Mistakes

  • Retaining the active prefix 'meN-' when trying to form the passive.

    Buku itu dimembaca oleh pelajar.
    Buku itu dibaca oleh pelajar.

    You must remove the active prefix (me-, mem-, men-, etc.) before adding the passive 'di-' prefix.

  • Using the 'di-' passive with 1st or 2nd person agents in formal exams.

    Buku itu dibaca oleh saya.
    Buku itu saya baca.

    In strict formal Malay (Tatabahasa Dewan), the 'di-' passive is reserved for 3rd person agents. For 1st/2nd person, use the object voice.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Agentless passive in formal proseLevel 5

Learn This First

To understand the institutional agentless passive, a learner must first be comfortable with the basic di- passive construction and the general concept of omitting the agent (actor) in Malay. This specific pattern focuses on the stylistic and rhetorical use of these forms in formal, journalistic, or bureaucratic contexts where the actor is an organization or government body.