Young Generation Needs To Master Jawi

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- Various quarters are unanimous on the need for the young generation to master Jawi to prevent the script from being forgotten and extinct one day. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Islamic Studies lecturer Prof Zakaria Stapa said "Jawi (Malay language in Arabic script) is a treasure that lends identity to the Malay people". "We used Jawi before the romanised alphabet came along, so we should be able to use both scripts equally well. There's no loss in mastering both as more knowledge can be acquired," he told Bernama, here, Monday. On Monday, Bernama reported on the concern expressed by Korean lecturer Prof Dr Kang Kyoung Seok of Jawi being increasingly forgotten, especially among Malaysia's younger generation. Kang of Pusan University of Foreign Studies, who began his research in Jawi in 1974, regards the script as a unique identity of Malaysia. Zakaria said to increase expertise in Jawi among the young, Jawi learning programmes, Quran, Arabic language and Fardu Ain (j-QAF) classes conducted in primary schools must be extended to secondary schools. "These programmes are a medium to promote Jawi at a time when the script is seen as almost forgotten," he said. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka deputy director-general (Policy) Dr Awang Sariyan said Jawi was an important tool for the growth of civilisation, especially in creating knowledge and literary works in the past centuries. He said to uphold Jawi, it needed to be eternalised in public areas such as on signboards, logos, and in slogans and campaigns. "Logos, slogans and campaigns should have a Jawi version to retain the national Malay identity," said Awang who wants the electronic media to have more Jawi programmes in order to increase mastery of the script among children. Utusan Melayu Mingguan editor, Mohd Kamil Yusuff said the attitude of Malays who had little or no regard for Jawi had caused its decline in usage. He said fresh attempts to promote Jawi would not change the situation if the Malays did not change their attitude. "There are over 17 million Malays in the country, so why can't we revive Jawi, whereas the Chinese publish 14 Chinese language dailies and there are only eight million of them," he added. Mohd Kamil said Utusan Melayu publised a newspaper in Jawi for 75 years before it was stopped in 2006 due to lack of readership. "However, a newspaper written in Jawi was brought back by the Malaysian Information, Communications and Culture Ministry as a social responsibility," he said, adding that Utusan Melayu now prints a pull-out in Jawi every Monday. -- BERNAMA