Pahang Sultan urges collective effort to preserve Jawi script heritage

The Sun

9 hours ago

KUANTAN: Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has called on the people of the state to take the lead in reviving the spirit and use of the Jawi script.
His Royal Highness said that preserving the Jawi script was not just the responsibility of schools or religious institutions but a duty shared by all levels of society.
'The Jawi script is the lifeblood and true face of Malay identity. If it were to disappear from our lives, it would be as though part of the spirit and soul of this nation had vanished.
'Let it not merely become an obsolete treasure kept in a museum, but continue to live as the pulse of life, from remote villages to cities, from administrative affairs to the limitless virtual realm,' he said.
The Pahang ruler made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the International Jawi and Malay Heritage Convention 2025 here today.
Al-Sultan Abdullah said that he was aware of the challenges confronting the Jawi script in the current modern age, saying that it remained seldom used in daily life, sidelined in formal communication, and increasingly distant from the younger generation.
To strengthen the Jawi script, he proposed several measures, including leveraging digital technology by developing Jawi-based applications and using social media platforms to ensure it remained relevant to the younger generation.
His Royal Highness added that efforts should be made by local authorities to standardise Jawi script at business premises and tourist attractions in Pahang, train more Jawi experts through regular intensive courses, and strengthen research on Malay manuscripts written in Jawi script.
In the meantime, Al-Sultan Abdullah urged that the practice of wearing the baju Melayu be continued.
'It is not wrong to wear a jubah (robe), but do not forget to wear the baju Melayu. I also wish to inform you that the Pahang Royal Council will seek to introduce new ceremonial attire at the Palace, incorporating the wearing of the tanjak (traditional Malay headgear for men),' he said.
A total of 200 participants, including presenters from Japan, Singapore and Brunei, took part in the two-day convention that began yesterday, which aimed, among other things, to cultivate a culture of exchanging knowledge on Jawi script, Khat, Malay language studies, and manuscripts. – Bernama