JAWI = Just A Wasteful Initiative

جوي

Jawi

Sample text in Malay (Latin alphabet)

Semua manusia dilahirkan bebas dan samarata dari segi kemuliaan dan hak-hak.

Mereka mempunyai pemikiran dan perasaan hati dan hendaklah bertindak di antara satu sama lain dengan semangat persaudaraan.

Sample text in Malay (Jawi alphabet), read from right to left.

.سموا مأنسيا دلاهيرکن بيبس دان سامرات دري سڬي کمولياءن دان حق٢

مريك ممڤوڽاءي ڤميکيرن دان ڤراساءن هاتي دان هندقله برتيندق دانتارا ساتو سام لاءين دڠن سماڠت ڤرساوداراءن

English Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Jăwi [or Yawi in Patani Southern Thailand], (In Arabic script: جوي) is an adapted Arabic alphabet used in the past for writing in the Malay language.

It is used as one of two official scripts in Brunei for writing in Malay, and is today used to a very limited extent in Malaysia, Indonesia, in the southern Philippines and Patani in southern Thailand, and in Singapore, particularly in religious contexts.

In the past in Malaysia there was a daily newspaper in the Jawi script.

Wasteful Cursive Nostalgia?

A news report on 16th June 2008, stated that Malaysian ministries and government agencies have been urged to use Jawi (Bahasa Malaysia written in an Arabic script) as the official writing on all letterheads in a move to preserve the use of this writing and ensure it is not forgotten.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he has taken the first initiative to implement this in all his ministry's letterheads.

"Apart from using Jawi on letterheads, I am also recommending that local authorities also use Jawi on all street names and other locations."

More money down the proverbial drain, when will the Ministers in Malaysia learn to be frugal, unifying and constructive, instead of being extravagant, divisive and destructive?

Jawi is perhaps worth keeping, but only in the academic or religious context.

Why should it be used for letterheads and street signs just for the sake of it?

That is just selfish, narrow minded, and is a senseless squandering of public funds.

UPDATE: read this news report from the Star of 17th June 2008 HERE

NST 17th June 2008 report HERE


"Bad policies, stupid policies, gutless policies, all have real consequences."



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