Khat, Jawi and cultural colonisation

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 5 Aug 2019 12:58PM · 10 Comments

I WAS a bit perturbed by the accusation that the Malay Jawi alphabet and stylistic khat writing was a sign of Islamisation. From my knowledge, our Jawi alphabet was an adaptation of the Arabic alphabet to suit local language, Bahasa Malaysia. 

I was told that when coming up with an argument, flip it around a few ways to see if it is ridiculous. And this Jawi promotes Islamisation argument can be flipped so many ways to show how idiotic it is. 

If Jawi and khat writing was a sign of Islamisation, would that mean the Malay right-wingers were right – that Lim Guan Eng putting Chinese calligraphy on the walls of the Finance Ministry is in fact a sign that we were now linked to China?

Since Lim also said he had Jawi calligraphy on his wall, would that mean he was also promoting Islamisation?

Since I am typing this in Romanised English, am I promoting or supporting the English colonisation before Merdeka? God, does that mean the lawyers and judges speaking in Latin have a direct line to the Pope?

Are Ichiban Ramen stores then supporting the past Japanese Occupation?

Will anyone still using a sickle or hammer be promoting Soviet Russia?

This seems to be the mentality of the detractors, which seem to be in the same small-minded mentality of the Malays who see a cross and think they will be converted. 

Let’s just face the sad fact that the main argument here is that we want to remain limited and comforted in our racial silos with set boundaries against each and every culture. That we would prefer each and every race and religion boxed into their separate categories, not impacting or mixing with one another. 

Even if Jawi was already on our currency used for everyday trade. 

If there was talk about how Jawi would be appropriate in this time and age, that khat was an outdated form of art, I would say the same about poetry. Heck, wouldn’t we argue the same about all forms of art and artistic expression altogether from calligraphy to interpretive dance?

Why bother having a digital recreation of the Mona Lisa when someone can just post a selfie on Instagram, if we want to talk about current relevance?

Personally, I’ve never understood art in any shape or form. Even going to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and looking at a recreation of Michaelangelo’s David does not mean I understand it.

Even if I find it a beautiful sculpture, I can’t explain why. Nor can I explain why I find Da Vinci’s The Last Supper intriguing, or that the Chinese calligraphy during every Chinese New Year season fascinating.

I might not understand the khat art of Cufica, but I notice people who appreciate it. Just as much as I notice people going nuts over Japanese script and block prints of a wave by Hokusai, Van Gogh’s Sunflower collection, the Gutenberg bible or even the gold leaf Koran.

Art, religion, calligraphy, cursive writing, Jawi, Latin or even Chinese characters used, none of this truly have an impact on future learning and technology such as artificial intelligence and coding, robotics and big data.

But what it does is this – it sets us apart from the technology we are developing. It is what makes humans human. Now, of course given time an AI could learn to write a haiku or deliver news in iambic pentameter, but only by viewing and recreating human work. 

So when someone tells me culture should not be dictated in schools, I disagree as well. Culture is the one thing we should be teaching in schools because it makes us one nation that understands each other, even if it starts with taboos and customs. 

That is the basis of unity and cultural preservation. If you still don’t get why cultural preservation is important or in vogue, I suggest you rewatch Black Panther and understand that those are cultural representations of real African tribes united as one, albeit in a fictitious landscape. 

Which is why Maszlee Malik should take heart in promoting all calligraphy, not just khat. 

All this said, there are a lot of things wrong with our education system for sure. But this idea isn’t one of them. It is not some move to radicalise school kids to Islam – if it was then every one holding a Malaysian ringgit would be promoting the same and we should be using the US Dollar. 

But then again, it has Latin on it and maybe that might make us all Catholic it we follow the mentality of those opposing the measure. – August 5, 2019.

* Hafidz Baharom reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.

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Comments

  • Fully support the emergence of logic and truth at last on this topic, fully support your views Hafidz, and I am a non-Malay. DAPs protest on this matter is completely nonsensical.

    Posted 6 years ago by Mahsuri Smiles · Reply

  • What is the point of learning Jawi? Is it used daily?

    Why don't we use the time to teach something more useful? General DIY, wood work, common sense, general knowledge, coding?

    Why don't they make Jawi elective? Students can choose to learn Jawi or something else. Is it because nobody in their right mind would choose Jawi as something to learn?

    Posted 6 years ago by Anonymous 1234 · Reply

  • Dear Hafidz Have u got any explanation as why non malay kids in school were FORCED TO EAT IN TOILET when muslims are observing their religion obligation. Malaysia is a multiracial country. The SAD N SETBACK OF MALAYSIA IS THAT EVERY DAM THING IS RELATED TO RACE N RELIGION. Malays are majority they should come out of the box not the minority. A small fraction cant do much to help REVIVE MALAYSIA we need a bigger VOICE to COME OUT OF SETBACK Which is Race n Religion

    Posted 6 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • Non malay in malaysia are depending on non malay parties to SURVIVE IN MALAYSIA. Every Human LOVE HIS / HER OWN MOTHER Bcoz Thru Parents we see the WORLD. Dont CHOKE the Non Malays with your Religion let them be how GOD SEND THEM TO EARTH.

    Posted 6 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • You think differently Hafidz, but the one who introduce it and supported by others are having different agenda. They see it as anything associated with Middle East will enhance their extrem rightist appeal to luanch the full Islamisation in Malaysia. The village folks and even the religious fanatics will be view it as their Islamisation might. You may argue that it could be only segment of the population but unfortunately it is like the calling of the Agama where the majority race of malays educated or uneducated , intellect or non intellect place utmost priority in ensuring that it is going full blown. Can't blame the nons in not throwing cautions to the wind. Anyway Khat is only an art form that will not have international recognition and neither will it help the next generation to improve their skill set to take on the challenge of the world deman and place food and quality of lives for their own family.Even the Chinese caligraphydo not have emphasis in the affairs of a family unit. Their Law of Survival calls for good stuffing of education to prepare oneself for future onsalught challenges and alsoto ensure that there is a roof over their heads. This is the mandatory standard platform the nons will stand on and enforce. Only when the quality of life is fully established then only you can partake in literature of fine arts to please oneself. Here we are having a non value Khat to be enforce and schooled the young generations to be dumb and dumber . The Education Minister supported by the PM in this debacles are showing a contempt for human being to be intellectually educated. Any one can really see it ( except LKS ) that the implementaions are done with purpose to stamp the might be it politically and a statement to show that the official religion in Malaysia is in all glory and Pertahankan the tribal Arabs camel herders fine literature art. Then can we all say to the Malays stop your "Pertahankan Bahasa , Bangsa, Adat dan Agama. It reeks of hypocrisy.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • From experience while serving in the national committee for the promotion of Jawi script during Tun's UMNO PMship in 1990s, I realised that it is not going to be an easy task. Those days it used to be under Pusat Islam with a very high powered committee where all the royalties and local universities were represented. The differences in Bahasa Malaysia and Jawi has to be settled so that learners are not confused. There is practically no publication in Jawi apart from the Agama books. I hope it is not going to be an expensive project with not much to show in the end in terms of practical use.

    Posted 6 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

    • Its like forcing students to learn Latin in the West. Of what use is that?

      Maybe Tun/Education Minister are enriching their cronies by giving them "contracts" to print Jawi/Khat books! Corruption??

      Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • Our education system is screwed and needs to be fixed. Ever wondered why is there a proliferation of private schools here in Malaysia? The issue here is of focus and prioritization. We are never going to meet vision 2020. Now it is vision 2030. If we have to introduce something new, make it relevant for the future of this Nation. For instance try introducing coding or robotics instead. Making students study Khat ensure less time to study math and science.

    Posted 6 years ago by H. Mokhtar · Reply

    • Our cabinet maybe comprised of morons and eunuchs. Like in MO1 and 1MDB, many are clueless idiots while the rest are too frightened to open their mouths!

      Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • It is a "sick" joke to make learning "Khat" mandatory while learning science and maths in English (which is more useful for our future) is optional.

    Why can't "Khat" be made optional?

    Look at Estonia and other countries with their progressive education system. Computer coding is taught in primary schools.

    https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/infographic/infographic-coding-at-school-how-do-eu-countries-compare/

    https://www.morningfuture.com/en/article/2018/03/26/estonia-school-coding-social-mobility/261/

    Why not allow students to choose between learning "Khat" and computer coding instead?

    Certainly we are not surprised Malaysia is going backwards relative to other countries!

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply