It is a medium-sized, up to 18 cm long, olive-brown honeyguide with greenish streaks, reddish iris, thick grey bill and greyish white below.

The Malaysian honeyguide occurs throughout lowland broadleaved forests of western Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and the island of Sumatra.

The call of the Malaysian honeyguide is a cat-like "meow", followed by a rattling sound.

The diet consists mainly of insects, especially wild bees and wasps.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, local and sparse population, the Malaysian honeyguide is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.