Certified Translation for Malaysian Government Tenders

Oct 14

Short answer: Malaysian government tenders are run in Malay, the national language, and most agencies also read English. Any supporting document in another language, such as a foreign principal's letter of appointment, a certificate of origin, a test report or an overseas parent company's papers, should go in with a certified Malay or English translation. Tenders covered by the CPTPP trade agreement state the permitted offer language in their title, for example "[Tawaran petender dibenarkan dalam BM/ENG]". A foreign document that must also be attested by Wisma Putra needs authentication by its country's mission in Malaysia first, and an English translation.

What we do: certified Malay and English translations of tender supporting documents from 85+ languages, with a signed translator's declaration, plus notarisation when the agency asks for it. We also translate Malay tender documents into English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other languages so your principal can review them before you bid. Our team is certified by ITBM, DBP and the Malaysian Translators Association. Send the tender number and documents on WhatsApp for a quote.

Last reviewed: October 2026. For how the tender system works, see the Malaysian government tender system guide for 2026.

Tender documents that often need translation

The principal's letter of appointment and warranty letter. Many tenders ask for them. The Digital Department's 2026 MyDFLAB licence tender, for example, requires a "Surat Lantikan (Authorization Letter) dan Surat Jaminan (Warranty Letter) daripada Prinsipal". Letters from Chinese, Japanese, Korean or European manufacturers are often not in English.
Certificates of origin. In CPTPP-covered tenders, bidders upload a country-of-origin declaration with a certificate of origin or another official or commercial document proving where the goods come from.
Technical documents: catalogues, brochures, datasheets, test reports, type approvals and ISO or CE certificates issued abroad.
Foreign company documents: certificate of incorporation, constitution, audited accounts, board resolutions and powers of attorney of a foreign parent, principal or joint-venture partner.
Experience and personnel: overseas completion certificates and client letters, and the degrees, CVs and professional certificates of foreign key staff.

What the rules say

National language. Article 152 of the Federal Constitution and the National Language Act 1963/67 make Malay the language for official purposes. A Public Service circular of 9 August 2022 told agencies to use Malay in official letters and agreement documents, with exceptions where English is needed.
CPTPP tenders. The Finance Ministry's ePerolehan guideline for CPTPP procurement has agencies put the permitted offer language in the tender title. In procurements not covered by CPTPP, suppliers incorporated outside Malaysia are marked non-compliant, so foreign manufacturers usually take part through a Malaysian company registered with the Ministry of Finance that they appoint in writing.
Foreign companies registering in Malaysia. SSM asks for certified copies of a foreign company's certificate of incorporation and constitution, and an English translation of any document not originally in English. CIDB registers a foreign contractor only once it is registered with SSM, with paid-up capital of at least RM750,000, and requires an SPKKA certificate for government works.
Wisma Putra. "All documents originating from abroad requires authentication from the Foreign Missions in Malaysia," and documents in foreign languages must be translated into English.

Most tender documents we reviewed do not set a language rule for supporting documents. Evaluation committees work in Malay and English, and a document they cannot read cannot show compliance. Check the instructions to bidders (Arahan Kepada Petender) and raise any doubt at the tender briefing or in writing before the closing date.

Malay or English?

English is generally accepted for technical and commercial documents, and CPTPP tenders say in their title whether offers in English are allowed.
Malay is the safer choice when the tender document is in Malay only, or when the document is a declaration, an undertaking or anything the agency will rely on legally.
Both can make sense for a key document such as the principal's letter, so every member of the evaluation committee can read it.

Who can certify a tender translation

Malaysia has no sworn-translator register, and tender rules do not name who must translate. Use a certified translator who is independent of the bidder, with a signed declaration and the translator's credentials, and have a Notary Public certify it when the agency asks for more. For attestation, Wisma Putra accepts translations by a Malaysian court translator, DBP or the Malaysian Translators Association, ITBM, or a translator appointed by a foreign embassy in Malaysia. Agencies apply the same standard to their own work: the Competition Commission's 2025 quotation for bilingual reports required translators qualified by DBP or ITBM. See who can certify a translation in Malaysia.

How we handle a tender translation

Send the tender number, closing date and documents. Clear scans or PDFs are fine.
We confirm the language (Malay, English or both) against the tender's instructions and quote.
We translate everything on the page, including stamps, signatures and letterheads, keep model numbers and company names exactly as in the original, and follow its layout so evaluators can match the two.
The translator signs a declaration with credentials and our company details. Notarisation is added if the agency asks for it.
You get a PDF for upload to ePerolehan and hard copies for tenders that still want paper. The Competition Commission's 2025 quotation, for example, asked for one original and two copies.

What delays tender translations

Getting the principal's letter signed in the last week, leaving no time to translate it.
Company names, addresses and model numbers that differ between the SSM record, the principal's letter and the offer.
Scans with cut-off stamps or signatures, which the translation then has to mark as illegible.
Foreign company papers that also need authentication by their country's mission in Malaysia, which can take weeks.

Large bids with hundreds of pages are planned as a project; see bulk translation for businesses. Urgent jobs can go on our rush service.

Maklumat dalam Bahasa Melayu

Bahasa Melayu ialah bahasa kebangsaan dan digunakan bagi maksud rasmi, termasuk perolehan kerajaan. Dokumen sokongan dalam bahasa lain, seperti surat lantikan dan surat jaminan daripada prinsipal, sijil tempasal (Certificate of Origin), katalog, laporan ujian dan dokumen syarikat induk di luar negara, wajar disertakan dengan terjemahan yang diperakui ke dalam Bahasa Melayu atau Bahasa Inggeris. Bagi perolehan yang tertakluk kepada CPTPP, tajuk perolehan menyatakan bahasa tawaran yang dibenarkan, contohnya "[Tawaran petender dibenarkan dalam BM/ENG]". Kami menyediakan terjemahan yang diperakui oleh penterjemah bertauliah ITBM dan DBP, serta pengesahan Notari Awam jika diperlukan. Hubungi kami melalui WhatsApp (+60 17-227 9378).

中文说明

马来西亚政府招标以马来文为主，大多数机构也接受英文。外国原厂的授权书（Surat Lantikan）和保修函、原产地证明（Certificate of Origin）、产品目录、检测报告以及海外母公司的注册文件，如果不是马来文或英文，应附上经认证的马来文或英文翻译。我们也可以把马来文招标文件翻译成中文，方便海外原厂在投标前审阅。WhatsApp：+60 17-227 9378。

Common questions

Do English documents need translating for a Malaysian government tender?

Usually not. Agencies read English, and CPTPP tenders state when offers in English are allowed. Check the instructions to bidders in case the agency wants Malay.

Can our own staff translate the principal's letter?

The tender documents we reviewed do not forbid it, but a translation made by the bidder is easy to question. An independent certified translation with a signed declaration is safer for any document that decides compliance.

Does a tender translation need Wisma Putra attestation?

Not normally. Wisma Putra attests documents when an authority asks for it. A foreign document must first be authenticated by its country's mission in Malaysia and come with an English translation.

Can a foreign company bid directly?

Only in procurements covered by CPTPP, which apply above set value thresholds at the ministries and agencies listed in the agreement. In other ePerolehan procurements, suppliers incorporated outside Malaysia are marked non-compliant.

Do you translate Malay tender documents into Chinese, Japanese or Korean?

Yes. We translate Malay tender documents, specifications and contracts into English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other languages, so a foreign principal can review them before you bid.

Related guides

Sources:

Zhihan Chew