This is the 82nd most frequent Malay word.
apa
"What."
'Apa' is used as a question word that means 'what,' and in this context, it is part of a common greeting.
Apa khabar?
How are you?
'Apa' here is used to refer to a thing or event ('what') as an object in the sentence.
Saya tidak tahu apa yang berlaku.
I do not know what happened.
'Apa' is used to inquire about a preference or choice ('what') related to an action.