diff --git a/bot/scripts/register-commands.mjs b/bot/scripts/register-commands.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92b03ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/scripts/register-commands.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+/*
+ * register-commands.mjs — one-time setMyCommands registration (D-03, D-04, D-17).
+ * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Registers the bot's persistent command menu in two scopes:
+ *   1. default scope            — English /help and /privacy descriptions
+ *   2. default + language_code "ms" — Malay descriptions for ms users
+ *
+ * D-03: the menu lists ONLY commands that exist in this phase (/help,
+ * /privacy) — no stub entries reserved for future commands. There are
+ * exactly two fetch calls below, one per scope.
+ *
+ * D-05 (single copy source): the descriptions are not inline here — they
+ * are derived from src/i18n/strings.ts `helpMenu` lines ("/cmd — text"),
+ * the same text /help replies with, so reply and registered menu cannot
+ * drift apart.
+ *
+ * Secrets stay secret (T-02-04): BOT_TOKEN is read from bot/.dev.vars
+ * (never committed, D-15) and is never echoed — only the API response's
+ * ok/result fields are printed.
+ */
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { strings } from "../src/i18n/strings.ts";
+
+/* ————— configuration (D-15: local secrets from gitignored .dev.vars) ————— */
+
+function readDevVars() {
+  const devVarsPath = path.join(fileURLToPath(new URL(import.meta.url)), "..", "..", ".dev.vars");
+  let raw = "";
+  try {
+    raw = readFileSync(devVarsPath, "utf8");
+  } catch {
+    return {};
+  }
+  const vars = {};
+  for (const line of raw.split("\n")) {
+    const trimmed = line.trim();
+    if (trimmed.length === 0 || trimmed.startsWith("#")) continue;
+    const eq = trimmed.indexOf("=");
+    if (eq === -1) continue;
+    vars[trimmed.slice(0, eq).trim()] = trimmed.slice(eq + 1).trim();
+  }
+  return vars;
+}
+
+const token = process.env.BOT_TOKEN ?? readDevVars().BOT_TOKEN;
+if (!token) {
+  console.error(
+    "BOT_TOKEN missing — copy bot/.dev.vars.example to bot/.dev.vars (gitignored) and paste your @BotFather token.",
+  );
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+/* ————— menu derived from the strings module (D-03/D-05, gap-free) ————— */
+
+/** Extract the `/cmd — description` entries from a locale's helpMenu. */
+function menuFor(locale) {
+  const lines = strings[locale].helpMenu.split("\n");
+  return ["help", "privacy"].map((command) => {
+    const marker = `/${command} — `;
+    const line = lines.find((l) => l.startsWith(marker));
+    if (line === undefined) {
+      throw new Error(`helpMenu for "${locale}" is missing its /${command} line (D-03 copy drift)`);
+    }
+    return { command, description: line.slice(marker.length).trim() };
+  });
+}
+
+/* ————— exactly two API calls: default scope, then the ms scope (D-03/D-04) ————— */
+
+const API = `https://api.telegram.org/bot${token}/setMyCommands`;
+const JSON_HEADERS = { "content-type": "application/json" };
+
+const defaultPayload = { commands: menuFor("en"), bot_command_scope: { type: "default" } };
+const msPayload = { commands: menuFor("ms"), bot_command_scope: { type: "default" }, language_code: "ms" };
+
+const defaultRes = await fetch(API, { method: "POST", headers: JSON_HEADERS, body: JSON.stringify(defaultPayload) });
+const defaultBody = await defaultRes.json();
+console.log(`default scope  -> ok:${defaultBody.ok} result:${JSON.stringify(defaultBody.result ?? null)}`);
+
+const msRes = await fetch(API, { method: "POST", headers: JSON_HEADERS, body: JSON.stringify(msPayload) });
+const msBody = await msRes.json();
+console.log(`ms scope       -> ok:${msBody.ok} result:${JSON.stringify(msBody.result ?? null)}`);
+
+if (!defaultBody.ok || !msBody.ok) {
+  const firstError = !defaultBody.ok ? defaultBody : msBody;
+  console.error(`setMyCommands failed: ${firstError.error_code ?? "?"} ${firstError.description ?? "unknown error"}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/bot/src/bot/bot.ts b/bot/src/bot/bot.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab878f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/src/bot/bot.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * bot.ts — the grammY bot factory (D-02, D-05, D-11).
+ * ----------------------------------------------------
+ * `createBot(env)` instantiates the Bot with the env-bound token and
+ * registers the command-stack handlers (aliases included). It runs inside
+ * the Worker's fetch handler (Workers have no server startup hook, and the
+ * token only arrives with `env`).
+ *
+ * D-02 (structural, pinned by test/commands.test.mjs): handlers send plain
+ * text replies only — no reply menus, no inline button payloads, no
+ * callback routes, no menu augmentation per request. The persistent menu
+ * is registered once by scripts/register-commands.mjs (D-03).
+ */
+import { Bot } from "grammy";
+import type { Env } from "../config.ts";
+import { registerHelp } from "./commands/help.ts";
+import { registerPrivacy } from "./commands/privacy.ts";
+import { registerStart } from "./commands/start.ts";
+
+export function createBot(env: Env): Bot {
+  const bot = new Bot(env.BOT_TOKEN);
+  registerStart(bot); // /start + /mula (D-04)
+  registerHelp(bot); // /help
+  registerPrivacy(bot); // /privacy + /privasi (D-04)
+  return bot;
+}
diff --git a/bot/src/bot/commands/help.ts b/bot/src/bot/commands/help.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8ecd1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/src/bot/commands/help.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * help.ts — the /help handler (D-03, D-04, D-05).
+ * ------------------------------------------------
+ * No Malay alias in this phase (D-04 names /mula and /privasi only —
+ * later-flow aliases belong to their own phases).
+ *
+ * The reply is the helpMenu text, whose "cmd — description" lines are the
+ * same descriptions the setMyCommands registration script lists in the
+ * command menu — menu and reply cannot drift apart (D-03, gap-free).
+ *
+ * Plain text-only reply, D-02-pinned; copy lives only in strings.ts (D-05).
+ */
+import type { Bot, Context } from "grammy";
+import { pickLocale, strings } from "../../i18n/strings.ts";
+import type { Locale } from "../../i18n/strings.ts";
+
+/** Pure builder — the exact text the /help surface replies with. */
+export function helpReplyText(locale: Locale): string {
+  return strings[locale].helpMenu;
+}
+
+async function handleHelp(ctx: Context): Promise<void> {
+  const locale = pickLocale(ctx.from?.language_code);
+  await ctx.reply(helpReplyText(locale), { link_preview_options: { is_disabled: true } });
+}
+
+/** Register the command stack entry: /help. */
+export function registerHelp(bot: Bot): void {
+  bot.command("help", handleHelp);
+}
diff --git a/bot/src/bot/commands/privacy.ts b/bot/src/bot/commands/privacy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ed4cb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/src/bot/commands/privacy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * privacy.ts — the /privacy and /privasi handlers (PRIV-01, D-02, D-04, D-05).
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * This is the visible half of the privacy promise (PRIV-01): what is stored
+ * and what is never stored, said as plainly as the storage code does it.
+ * The stored-facts text must keep matching src/kv/sessions.ts's D-08 claim
+ * fields and TTL — the copy gate in test/commands.test.mjs holds that line.
+ *
+ * Aliases share one handler on the same command stack (D-04):
+ * `/privacy` and `/privasi` are grammatically the same command.
+ *
+ * Plain text-only reply, D-02-pinned; copy lives only in strings.ts (D-05).
+ */
+import type { Bot, Context } from "grammy";
+import { pickLocale, strings } from "../../i18n/strings.ts";
+import type { Locale } from "../../i18n/strings.ts";
+
+/** Pure builder — stored-facts block, then the never-facts block. */
+export function privacyReplyText(locale: Locale): string {
+  const s = strings[locale];
+  return `${s.privacyStored}\n\n${s.privacyNotStored}`;
+}
+
+async function handlePrivacy(ctx: Context): Promise<void> {
+  const locale = pickLocale(ctx.from?.language_code);
+  await ctx.reply(privacyReplyText(locale), { link_preview_options: { is_disabled: true } });
+}
+
+/** Register the command stack entry: /privacy and its Malay alias /privasi. */
+export function registerPrivacy(bot: Bot): void {
+  bot.command("privacy", handlePrivacy);
+  bot.command("privasi", handlePrivacy);
+}
diff --git a/bot/src/bot/commands/start.ts b/bot/src/bot/commands/start.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3cda6c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/src/bot/commands/start.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * start.ts — the /start and /mula handlers (D-01, D-02, D-04, D-05).
+ * -------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Aliases share one handler on the same command stack (D-04):
+ * `/start` and `/mula` are grammatically the same command.
+ *
+ * D-02 (structural, pinned by test/commands.test.mjs): the reply is plain
+ * text with link previews disabled — no reply menus, no inline button
+ * payloads, no callback routes anywhere in this tree. Telegram commands
+ * are the interface until the Mini App launch path lands (Phase 4).
+ *
+ * All copy comes from src/i18n/strings.ts (D-05) — nothing inline here.
+ */
+import type { Bot, Context } from "grammy";
+import { pickLocale, strings } from "../../i18n/strings.ts";
+import type { Locale } from "../../i18n/strings.ts";
+
+/** Pure builder — the exact text the /start surface replies with. */
+export function startReplyText(locale: Locale): string {
+  return strings[locale].startIntro;
+}
+
+async function handleStart(ctx: Context): Promise<void> {
+  const locale = pickLocale(ctx.from?.language_code);
+  await ctx.reply(startReplyText(locale), { link_preview_options: { is_disabled: true } });
+}
+
+/** Register the command stack entry: /start and its Malay alias /mula. */
+export function registerStart(bot: Bot): void {
+  bot.command("start", handleStart);
+  bot.command("mula", handleStart);
+}
diff --git a/bot/src/i18n/strings.ts b/bot/src/i18n/strings.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff9790d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/src/i18n/strings.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/*
+ * strings.ts — the copy's tokens.css (D-05).
+ * -------------------------------------------
+ * Every user-facing string the bot sends lives here and NOWHERE else —
+ * handlers import from this module, the setMyCommands registration script
+ * derives its menu descriptions from `helpMenu`, and there is no inline
+ * copy anywhere in the command tree.
+ *
+ * Locales: English default ("en") + Bahasa Melayu ("ms"). Tone is clinical
+ * + honest (D-01): one sentence for what araharah is, plain statements of
+ * what is stored and what is not — no emoji, no marketing flourishes.
+ *
+ * Claim-surface honesty (D-17 / PRIV-01): `privacyStored` names the exact
+ * D-08 claim fields written by src/kv/sessions.ts (user id, chat id,
+ * language, ~15-minute TTL) and nothing more; `privacyNotStored` names the
+ * exact never-facts. Any matching change to the storage layer must be
+ * reflected here and the copy gate in test/commands.test.mjs will keep
+ * the two in step.
+ */
+
+export interface BotStrings {
+  /** D-01: what araharah is, in one sentence. */
+  startIntro: string;
+  /** PRIV-01: exactly what is stored — must mirror the D-08 claim fields and the TTL. */
+  privacyStored: string;
+  /** PRIV-01: exactly what is NOT stored — the never-facts. */
+  privacyNotStored: string;
+  /** D-03: lists only commands that exist in this phase — derived lines
+   *  ("cmd — description") feed the setMyCommands registration script. */
+  helpMenu: string;
+}
+
+export type Locale = "en" | "ms";
+
+export const strings: Record<Locale, BotStrings> = {
+  en: {
+    startIntro:
+      "araharah — navigation through Telegram for the KL metro. Everything it knows about you expires in about fifteen minutes; /privacy shows exactly what that means.",
+    privacyStored:
+      "What araharah keeps: your Telegram user id, this chat id, and your interface language — kept only for about 15 minutes so the bot can answer you, then gone.",
+    privacyNotStored:
+      "What araharah never keeps: your location, your routes, your trip history, any profile about you.",
+    helpMenu:
+      "Commands:\n/help — How araharah works and what it keeps\n/privacy — What araharah stores and never stores",
+  },
+  ms: {
+    startIntro:
+      "araharah — navigasi melalui Telegram untuk kawasan KL. Semua yang diketahui tentang anda luput dalam lebih kurang lima belas minit; /privacy menunjukkan dengan tepat maksudnya.",
+    privacyStored:
+      "Yang araharah simpan: id pengguna Telegram anda, id chat ini, dan bahasa antara muka anda — disimpan hanya sekitar 15 minit supaya bot boleh menjawab anda, kemudian hilang.",
+    privacyNotStored:
+      "Yang araharah tidak pernah simpan: lokasi anda, laluan anda, sejarah perjalanan anda, apa-apa profil tentang anda.",
+    helpMenu:
+      "Arahan:\n/help — Cara araharah berfungsi dan apa yang ia simpan\n/privacy — Apa yang araharah simpan dan tidak pernah simpan",
+  },
+};
+
+/**
+ * D-05 fallback rule: a Telegram `language_code` that starts with the
+ * Malay tag selects "ms"; every other value (including null/undefined and
+ * unknown languages) falls back to English.
+ */
+export function pickLocale(telegramLanguageCode?: string | null): Locale {
+  const code = telegramLanguageCode ?? "";
+  return code === "ms" || code.startsWith("ms-") ? "ms" : "en";
+}
diff --git a/bot/test/commands.test.mjs b/bot/test/commands.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..248c42a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/test/commands.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+/*
+ * commands.test.mjs — command-surface gates (ONBD-01, PRIV-01, D-02, D-03, D-04, D-05).
+ * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Automated half of the command surface:
+ *   CS1  strings integrity — en/ms key-sets identical (D-05)
+ *   CS2  pickLocale fallback rule — ms-tagged → "ms", everything else → "en"
+ *   CS3  PRIV-01 copy gate — privacy copy states the never-facts
+ *        (location / routes / history) and the stored TTL wording
+ *   CS4  D-02 structural gate — command tree source contains no reply-menu
+ *        or inline-button surface (grep: zero "keyboard"-shaped tokens)
+ *   CS5  D-03 menu gap-freedom — helpMenu lists exactly /help and /privacy,
+ *        and the registration script derives both scopes from it (no
+ *        inline description literals, no future-command stubs)
+ *   CS6  D-04 alias completeness — command stack registers exactly
+ *        /start /mula /help /privacy /privasi (help unprefixed-alias only)
+ *
+ * Source-introspection style (privacy.test.mjs precedent): structural
+ * claims are pinned by reading the shipped source, not by behavior mocks.
+ */
+import { strict as assert } from "node:assert";
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { test } from "./harness.mjs";
+
+const { strings, pickLocale } = await import("../src/i18n/strings.ts");
+
+const BOT_SRC = path.join(fileURLToPath(new URL(import.meta.url)), "..", "..", "src", "bot");
+const commandSources = ["bot.ts", "commands/start.ts", "commands/help.ts", "commands/privacy.ts"].map((rel) =>
+  path.join(BOT_SRC, ...rel.split("/")),
+);
+
+/* ————— CS1 — en/ms key-set identity (D-05) ————— */
+
+test("CS1 strings module: en and ms locales carry identical key-sets", () => {
+  const enKeys = Object.keys(strings.en).sort();
+  const msKeys = Object.keys(strings.ms).sort();
+  assert.deepEqual(msKeys, enKeys, "ms missing/duplicated keys vs en (D-05 locale parity)");
+  assert.ok(enKeys.length >= 4, "expected the full BotStrings key-set (start, privacy x2, help)");
+});
+
+/* ————— CS2 — pickLocale fallback rule (D-05) ————— */
+
+test("CS2 pickLocale: ms-tagged codes pick ms; everything else falls back to en", () => {
+  assert.equal(pickLocale("ms"), "ms");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale("ms-MY"), "ms");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale("en"), "en");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale("en-GB"), "en");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale("id"), "en", "unknown/neighbor locale falls back to en");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale("zh-hans"), "en");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale(null), "en");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale(undefined), "en");
+  assert.equal(pickLocale(""), "en");
+});
+
+/* ————— CS3 — PRIV-01 copy gate ————— */
+
+test("CS3 PRIV-01: privacy copy states the never-facts in both locales", () => {
+  assert.ok(/location/i.test(strings.en.privacyNotStored), "en never-facts must name location");
+  assert.ok(/routes/i.test(strings.en.privacyNotStored), "en never-facts must name routes");
+  assert.ok(/history/i.test(strings.en.privacyNotStored), "en never-facts must name trip history");
+  assert.ok(/profil/i.test(strings.en.privacyNotStored), "en never-facts must name profile");
+
+  assert.ok(/lokasi/i.test(strings.ms.privacyNotStored), "ms never-facts must name lokasi");
+  assert.ok(/laluan/i.test(strings.ms.privacyNotStored), "ms never-facts must name laluan");
+  assert.ok(/sejarah/i.test(strings.ms.privacyNotStored), "ms never-facts must name sejarah");
+  assert.ok(/profil/i.test(strings.ms.privacyNotStored), "ms never-facts must name profil");
+});
+
+test("CS3 PRIV-01: stored-facts copy carries the TTL-minutes wording in both locales", () => {
+  assert.ok(/15 minutes/.test(strings.en.privacyStored), "en stored-facts must carry the ~15-minutes TTL wording");
+  assert.ok(/15 minit/.test(strings.ms.privacyStored), "ms stored-facts must carry the ~15-minit TTL wording");
+});
+
+/* ————— CS4 — D-02 structural gate ————— */
+
+test("CS4 D-02: the command tree source has no reply-menu or inline-button surface", () => {
+  for (const file of commandSources) {
+    const source = readFileSync(file, "utf8");
+    assert.doesNotMatch(
+      source,
+      /keyboard/i,
+      `${path.basename(file)} — a menu/button surface token appeared (D-02: text-only replies)`,
+    );
+  }
+});
+
+test("CS4 D-02: all replies go out with link previews disabled and nothing else attached", () => {
+  for (const file of commandSources) {
+    const source = readFileSync(file, "utf8");
+    const replyCalls = source.match(/ctx\.reply\(/g) ?? [];
+    if (replyCalls.length > 0) {
+      assert.match(source, /link_preview_options:\s*\{\s*is_disabled:\s*true\s*\}/, `${file} must disable link previews`);
+    }
+  }
+});
+
+/* ————— CS5 — D-03 menu gap-freedom ————— */
+
+/** Parse the `cmd — text` lines out of a helpMenu string. */
+function menuEntries(helpMenu) {
+  return helpMenu
+    .split("\n")
+    .filter((line) => line.startsWith("/"))
+    .map((line) => {
+      const em = line.indexOf(" — ");
+      assert.ok(em !== -1, `helpMenu line lacks its " — " description marker: ${line}`);
+      return { command: line.slice(1, em), description: line.slice(em + 3).trim() };
+    });
+}
+
+test("CS5 D-03: helpMenu lists exactly /help and /privacy — no future-command stubs", () => {
+  for (const locale of ["en", "ms"]) {
+    const entries = menuEntries(strings[locale].helpMenu);
+    assert.deepEqual(
+      entries.map((e) => e.command),
+      ["help", "privacy"],
+      `${locale} menu must contain exactly the two live commands (D-03)`,
+    );
+  }
+});
+
+test("CS5 D-03: register-commands derives both scopes from helpMenu — two fetch calls, ms scope marked", () => {
+  const source = readFileSync(
+    path.join(fileURLToPath(new URL(import.meta.url)), "..", "..", "scripts", "register-commands.mjs"),
+    "utf8",
+  );
+  const fetchCalls = source.match(/\bawait fetch\(/g) ?? [];
+  assert.equal(fetchCalls.length, 2, "register-commands must issue exactly two setMyCommands fetch calls (default + ms)");
+
+  assert.ok(source.includes('language_code: "ms"'), "the ms scope payload must set language_code 'ms'");
+  assert.ok(source.includes("menuFor(\"en\")"), "default scope derives from the en helpMenu");
+  assert.ok(source.includes("menuFor(\"ms\")"), "ms scope derives from the ms helpMenu");
+
+  assert.doesNotMatch(
+    source,
+    /description:\s*["'`]/,
+    "registration script must not inline copy — descriptions derive from strings.ts (D-05)",
+  );
+  assert.doesNotMatch(
+    source,
+    /cari|pergi_ke/,
+    "no future-command stubs may be registered before their phases exist (D-03)",
+  );
+});
+
+/* ————— CS6 — D-04 alias completeness on the command stack ————— */
+
+test("CS6 D-04: command stack registers exactly /start /mula /help /privacy /privasi", () => {
+  const registered = new Set();
+  for (const file of commandSources) {
+    const source = readFileSync(file, "utf8");
+    for (const match of source.matchAll(/bot\.command\("([^"]+)"/g)) {
+      registered.add(match[1]);
+    }
+  }
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    [...registered].sort(),
+    ["help", "mula", "privasi", "privacy", "start"].sort(),
+    "the command stack must be exactly the phase surface (D-04; no drift, no extras)",
+  );
+});