Bahasa Malay (or Melayu) is the national and official language of Malaysia. Spoken in Malaysia and Brunei, Bahasa has been derived from the original Malayu language originating on the Island of Sumatra. It is not to be confused with the Bahasa of Indonesia, as though this language also comes from the same source in its ancestry, differences are large enough to call it a separate language altogether. Grammar and structure in these languages are largely similar, however a Malaysian native may not necessarily understand words spoken in Bahasa Indonesia, and vice versa. In the development of these languages, Malaysian has been heavily influenced by English as has Indonesian with Dutch. Currently, both countries, together with Brunei, are attempting to make a language standard called Bahasa.
