gotong-royong

English

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Malay gotong royong.

Noun

gotong-royong (countable and uncountable, plural gotong-royongs)

1. (uncountable, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) Cooperation by members of a community to achieve a common goal.
   • 1978 December 7, “The good S’porean urged to set an example”, in The Straits Times, Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings, →OCLC, page 26, column 10:

     These [Housing and Development Board housing estates] must be the core areas where the concept of neighbourliness and the friendly smile and greeting can and must be promoted and the kampung spirit of ‘gotong royong’ preserved. [Quoting an editorial in the National Youth Leadership Training Institute Alumni’s newsletter.]

2. (countable, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) An event where people clean up a place, such as sweeping and removing rubbish.