wayang

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)A theatrical performance of mythological events employing puppets or human dancers in Malaysia and Indonesia (especially Java).
2. (countable, uncountable)A shadow theatre performance, or such performances in general.
3. (Malaysia, Singapore, countable, uncountable)Any traditional theatrical work, combining drama, music, song and sometimes dance.
4. (Malaysia, Singapore, countable, uncountable)Any traditional theatrical work, combining drama, music, song and sometimes dance.
5. (Malaysia, Singapore, Singlish, countable, uncountable)Insincere behaviour; an act meant to deceive or mislead.

   “There had been two important reservations made on the practice of consultation and consensus. […] The other reservation is that consultation and consensus is no more than a “wayang”, because views are not accepted and no changes are made to the original policy.”

   “Besides being adept at directing actors from behind the camera, [Royston] Tan is a bit of a wayang king himself.”

   “Dr Chee called the polls a ‘wayang’ and said they were being held so that the PAP could claim to have the people’s mandate to govern.”

   “Mr [Inderjit] Singh […] had said earlier that Mr [James] Gomez told him the minority certificate incident was just a ‘wayang’, Malay for theatre.”

   “They have to review whether they have revealed too much to the public before the wayang goes on.”

verb

1. (Malaysia, Singapore, Singlish, invariable)To put up a front, to pretend (e.g., to be hard at work when one’s superiors are watching) or behave in a false and misleading way, especially if it puts one at an advantage.

   “[…] some [MPs] have to do wayang wayang in the evening like meet the people sessions.”

   “It’s taboo to say that you’re free, even if you have nothing to do, because that’s like asking to get fired. I think it’s obvious whether someone’s actually busy or just wayang-ing—they start toggling between the same documents or surreptitiously using their phone—we just don’t talk about it.”

adj

1. (Singapore, Singlish, not-comparable)For show, insincere or fake; ostentatious and showy.