On 'menasihati' and 'menasihatkan'

For too long, the use of 'menasihatkan' has been rampant in Malay in writing and in print. I have always told my students that more often than not, 'menasihati' is to be used because it should be followed by a person. Hence you say 'Saya menasihati adik agar menjauhi dadah.' [I advised my brother to stay away from drugs.]

If you want to use 'menasihatkan', then you have to have 'perkara' or some matter after it. For example, you can write a sentence such as the one below:
Saya menasihatkan cara-cara belajar dengan berkesan kepada Ali. [I advised Ali on ways to study effectively.] Notice that 'cara-cara belajar dengan berkesan' which is 'perkara' (matter) is used after 'menasihatkan'.

It will be grammatically wrong to write 'Saya menasihatkan Ali agar tidak merokok.' [I advised Ali against smoking.] Instead, write it as 'Saya menasihati Ali agar tidak merokok.'

From January this year, two teachers namely Cikgu Ghalib Yunus and Dr Ghazali Lateh have been writing about the wrong usage of Malay words in Minda and Skor, both suppliments of Straits Times on Tuesdays and Wednesdays respectively. Teachers and students should read about them to learn how to use 'bahasa baku' (standard Malay).
Well done, Cikgu Ghalib Yunus and Dr. Ghazali Lateh. Besides Awang Sariyan, you are the two championing the correct usage of the Malay language that I know.