Other forms are also in use, but they are generally provincialisms confined to particular states or districts. Sahaya apa, kita apa, and hamba tuan apa are used in Kedah, and sahaya-ma in Perak, for kita orang.
Colloquially the personal pronouns are often omitted to avoid repetition. This is done especially in narration or description; as, for example, in the following sentence: Lepas itu jalan pula ka-kampong singgah di rumah Haji Ismail hari pun sudah pĕtang langsong pulang ka-rumah maka nasi— Afterwards (I started) again (and) walked to the kampong, (and) stopped at the house of Haji Ismail, (and then), as it was evening, (I) went straight home (and) had my dinner.
Here the personal pronoun I is understood throughout.
The second person singular is [angkau], you. Each syllable of this word may be used separately for the whole. Ang or hang is much employed in Kedah and Perak, and kau in other parts of the peninsula and in Borneo. In Perak mika, in Malacca awah, in Borneo kita, and in Batavia kweh, are also used. The preceding words are used by a superior addressing an inferior, or by the common people in ordinary (not in polite) conversation.
In polite conversation the use of angkau, or of most of the words given above, must be avoided, as it is considered by Malays to be vulgar or harsh. In addressing servants or followers, the name of the individual addressed is often inserted in the sentence instead of the pronoun you; as, in addressing Ismail: When you were at the bazaar just now who was with you?— Apabila Ismail di pekan tadi siapa sama? In the same way tuan, sir, master, is employed in addressing a haji or sayyid; tuan-ku or tunku, my lord, in addressing a raja; datoh, grandfather, in addressing a chief or penghulu.
Other words similarly employed are—
Abang (elder brother) or wah (uncle), to a man older than the speaker.
Kakak (elder sister), to a woman older than the speaker.
Adek (younger brother).
Inche (sir or madam), to respectable persons of either sex.