Historically , Malay has been written in various types of script . Before the introduction of Arabic script in the Malay region , Malay was written using Pallava , Kawi and Rencong script and are still in use today by the Champa Malay in Vietnam and Cambodia . The history of the Malay language can be divided into five periods : Old Malay , the Transitional Period , the Malacca Period , Late Modern Malay , and modern Malay .