In Brunei, Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, 20th century, a unit of capacity = 2 imperial gills (approximately 0.28413 liters or 0.600 U.S. liquid pint).

Ilyin (1934) reported that the pau was equal to only 1 imperial gill in the Straits Settlements. In India, for example Mumbai (Bombay), the word "pao" in the names of units means "quarter." If this meaning followed the British to Malaysia, it would be natural for the pau to be a quarter of an imperial quart, that is, 2 gills.