SMS templates for Malaysian businesses
in English and Bahasa Melayu

Four rules every template here follows

• Business name first. Messages arrive from the shared short code 66886, not your brand, so the first words are what tell the customer who is writing.
• A way to reply that works. Nobody can reply to a short code, so each template gives a WhatsApp or phone number instead.
• Plain characters only. No emoji, no curly quotes pasted from Word. One of those switches the whole message to Unicode and a segment drops from 156 to 66 characters, so the same text can cost two or three times as much.
• Links on your own domain. Public link shorteners are shared with spammers and filtered by operators; a short path on your own website is no longer and gets through.

The counts under each template are worked out with the same rules we bill by, including the 4-character prefix our upstream route adds to every SMS. Every template fits in one segment in both languages; Bahasa Melayu usually runs a little longer than English, so check the count after you edit. For verification codes see our separate OTP SMS templates, and paste your own text into the segment calculator to check it.

Templates

Appointment reminder (clinic)

Send the day before. Name the clinic first so it is recognised, and give a way to reschedule, because nobody can reply to a short code.

Booking confirmation (salon, workshop)

Send right after the booking is made, so the customer has the time in writing.

Order ready for pickup

Include the order number so staff can find it quickly.

Out for delivery / cash on delivery

For COD, state the amount so the customer has cash ready and the rider is not sent back.

Payment reminder (fees, rent, instalments)

Polite and specific: amount, due date and how to pay. Never ask for card details or a TAC by SMS.

Class or event reminder

Useful for tuition centres, workshops and events: time, place and what to bring.

Service due (car workshop)

A reminder based on the last visit brings customers back without discounting.

Property viewing reminder

Confirm the address and the agent who will be there.

Promotion (with opt-out)

Marketing needs the recipient's consent under the PDPA. Name the shop, keep the offer specific, and say how to stop the messages.

Festive greeting with an offer

Short, warm and from a named business. Send a few days before the holiday, not on the day.

Back in stock

Only to people who asked to be told: it reads as a favour, not an advert.

Feedback request

Ask one easy question a day or two after the visit.

Adapting a template

Replace the example business, dates and amounts with your own and keep the order: who you are, what is happening, what the customer should do. Write dates as "24 Oct" rather than "24/10", which some people read the other way round. If you send in both languages, send each customer one message in the language they use with you rather than both versions in one SMS, which doubles the length.

Avoid naming other companies' brands. Malaysian operators fine messages containing certain protected international brand names at RM1.50 per segment and pass the fine to the sender, which is why none of these templates mention a courier, bank or marketplace by name. More on what gets messages filtered is in why SMS is not delivered.

Promotions need the recipient's consent under the PDPA and a way to opt out, which is why the two marketing templates end with one. Reminders and order updates to your own customers about their own bookings and orders are not marketing, but they should still only go to people who gave you their number for that purpose. Our PDPA guide has the details.

SMS template questions

How long can an SMS template be?

One segment on our route holds 156 plain-English or Malay characters, or 66 characters if the message contains any Chinese character, emoji or other Unicode symbol. Longer messages are split into segments of 153 plain or 67 Unicode characters (the 4-character prefix counts once), and each segment is charged. Most templates on this page fit in one segment.

Should I send SMS in English or Bahasa Melayu?

Use the language your customers use with you. Both are written with plain characters, so they cost the same per segment; Malay text is often a little longer, so check the count. If your customers read Chinese, keep in mind that Chinese switches the message to Unicode and fits 66 characters per segment.

Can I include a link in an SMS template?

Yes, but use a short path on your own domain, for example yourshop.my/raya. Public link shorteners are shared by many senders, including spammers, and Malaysian operators filter them.

Can customers reply to these messages?

Not to the SMS itself. Messages arrive from the shared short code 66886, which cannot receive replies. That is why every template here gives a WhatsApp or phone number for the customer to respond on.

Do I need consent to send promotional SMS?

Yes. Under the PDPA, marketing messages need the recipient's consent and must give a way to opt out. Reminders and updates about a customer's own booking or order are not marketing, but should still only go to numbers given to you for that purpose.

Last reviewed: 24 October 2026

Related: OTP SMS templates · Segment calculator · SMS character limit · SMS marketing · PDPA compliance · Phone number cleaner