What are they?

[Vie]

I'm curious though, would Malaysia not be out of range for either Synchiropus bartlesi or Synchiropus morrisoni?

You're right, Synchiropus morrisoni is a big stretch... Synchiropus bartlesi is much more likely. The Synchiropus dragonets (well, except for S. picturatus and S. splendidus) all look the same to me

 

[Deefstes]

The Synchiropus dragonets all look the same to me

Well, at least you could identify it down to genus level, more than I can say

 

[Rick Murchison]

Dragonets are from the family Callionymidae. Triplefins are part of the blenny family (Blenniidae).

Wow! Learn something every day... I've always just assumed (yeah, yeah, I know...) that dragonets were a type of triplefin. Probably those dang Scooter Blennies (Synchiropus ocellatus) are to blame
Rick