Eh, wan to ponteng or not???

The other day I was persuading Deon to ponteng and come join me in Nepal. It got me thinking where on earth did the word "ponteng" come from. Every student use it during their school days. "Eh, wan to ponteng or not?" So here's the definition.

http://www.singlishdictionary.com/

ponteng /pon-teng

[Mal. slang ponteng, ponting bilk, cheat (Wilkinson, Winstedt); Batavia Mal., run away (Wilkinson); compare Mal. pontang-panting (run) helter-skelter (Winstedt)] Escape, evade, play truant from.[1955 R.J. Wilkinson A Malay–English Dictionary, vol. 2, 912 pontang. Pontang-panting: helter-skelter, as fugitives bolting when defeated; Ht. Panj. [Hikayat Pandji Sumirang (3rd ed.) (Batavia: Balai Poestaka)] 45, Perch. Mal. [Berbagai-bagai Kepertjajaan orang Melajoe (vol. 1) (Batavia: Balai Poestaka)] 30 1955 R.J. Wilkinson A Malay–English Dictionary, vol. 2, 912 ponting. I. (Slang) to cheat; to bilk. Also punting, ponteng. From Ch. [Chinese]; Hn. [A.W. Hamilton]. II. (Batav. [Batavia]) To run away; Z. [Batavian words compiled by Ritter E. von Zach]. Cf. pontang. 1963 Richard Winstedt An Unabridged Malay–English Dictionary 278 pontang-panting, Jo. [Johor], P. [Penang], (run) helter-skelter 1963 Richard Winstedt An Unabridged Malay–English Dictionary 278 ponting, Ch. [Chinese], sl. [slang], bilk, cheat] 1978 Leong Choon Cheong Youth in the Army 253 But by then Ah Bang was most heavily hooked on morphine, and he started to ponteng work. 2004 Wong Fei Wan Today, 23 December, 30 I ponteng (skip school) when my mother doesn’t have money to top up my fare card. 2004 Colin Goh The Sunday Times (LifeStyle), 2 January, L12 [W]e might finally be able to make it home for Chinese New Year, without her having to ponteng classes.