What happens to Jawi?

Except for a few specific places, I have observed that Jawi is not commonly used in Kampong Lipat Kajang. Why is this so? It may not be commonly used in other places in Malaysia as well, but why not make it commonly used in Lipat Kajang, for example in the names of ‘precints’ and local roadways.

Jawi (the Malay version of the Arabic alphabet) had always been the traditional writings of the Malays. But for decades now that writing (and reading) has been neglected because of some sort of Government policy where the learnings and the usage if Jawi is not encouraged. But Jawi is very useful because it forms the basis of learning on how to read the Koraan (that Koraan as written in the original Arabic writings). It also forms the basis on how to read the old ‘kitab’ (many of these ‘kitab’ were written and produced by very learned and dedicated Malays Islamic religious people), these ‘kitabs’ being written to make the religion of Islam to be better understood by the local population as the words were all written (mostly handwritten) in classic Malay Jawi. And these ‘kitab’ has wealth of knowledge in Islam in them.

If only the people of Lipat Kajang will respect their roots and start putting signs everywhere in Jawi in addition to their romanised writings.


Lipat Kajang people (or decendents) are encouraged to participate& contribute (Orang Lipat Kajang, atau keturunan, di jemput memberi sumbangan idea)