Typically used in Singlish to differentiate between the "right & proper"/official/etc (by right) way of doing something and the "quick & easy"/unofficial/corner-cutting/etc (by left) way of doing something.
Alice: Hey! Rubbish collector supposed to collect recyclables separate from non-recyclables, what?
Bob: By right, that’s the case but by left they oso just dump them in the same bin.
Alice: What by right & by left?! They should do their job properly!
Bob: Liddat, lor; angry so much for what?
Bob: By right, that’s the case but by left they oso just dump them in the same bin.
Alice: What by right & by left?! They should do their job properly!
Bob: Liddat, lor; angry so much for what?
by AzureArmageddon February 13, 2023
Get the By right & By left mug.