KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- An academician in South Korea,
a country known for its K-Pop culture, is a surprising admirer of the Malay
jawi script.
This writer had the opportunity to talk to Prof Dr Kang Kyoung Seok of
Busan University about his views on jawi script, which is synonymous with Malay
society.
Dr Kang, 57, who is fluent in the Malay language, loves any subject that
delves into jawi script, which he describes as “beautiful.”
"The Malay culture, from its songs, its lingo, which is so fine and
soft, makes me fall in love with the beauty of jawi script," said Dr Kang.
UNIQUE SCRIPT
Dr Kang''s love affair with jawi began in 1974 when he was a student at a
South Korean university.
"My lecturer at that time told me that Malaysia has a beautiful script
known as jawi, but when I asked what it was, he replied that he did not know.
"There was no book on jawi in Korea at that time, little reference. But this
did not stop me from studying the script," he said.
In 1982, Dr Kang met Abdul Ghani, a Muslim scholar from Pattani,
Thailand, in Busan, and this was the start of his love affair with jawi script.
Through Abdul Ghani, Dr Kang began to know jawi and its writings. The book
“Sejarah Melayu Pattani” (Pattani Malay History), which is written in jawi,
became his favourite book.
DESTINATION MALAYSIA
This inspired Dr Kang to fly to Malaysia to learn more about jawi. In
1984, the academician received an offer he could not resist to study at
Universiti Malaya (UM).
But the perception of South Koreans toward Malaysia was a major challenge
to Dr Kang at that time.
"At that time, South Korea was not familiar with Malaysia, not like what it
is now, where we are good friends. Koreans viewed Malaysia as an undeveloped
country with many poor people and problems.
"My parents cried as they did not want me to come to Malaysia, but as I
loved jawi script I insisted,” he said.
After studying jawi script for some time, Dr Kang was attracted to the
Quran, which he describes as the priceless gift to all Muslims in the world.
"I am fascinated by the manner of the jawi scripts in the Quran, which are
able to produce such a melodious recital. I used to hear the Quranic reciters
assembly and it is beautiful and brings peace to my soul," he said.
UNIQUE HERITAGE
Dr Kang said the present young Malaysian generation are not aware that they
have inherited a unique heritage that is their identity and legacy.
"The condition of jawi scripts now is critical, as not many among the young
generation know how to write and read jawi. There are not many jawi experts now,
as those I have known have retired without anybody replacing them," he
explained.
Dr Kang joined Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) as a lecturer in
2010.
"UPSI is a university for teachers. When I teach them jawi scripts
they will in turn teach their students so that more will come to know and use
these scripts," he said.
Dr Kang called on education authorities to revert from the Za''ba system to
jawi spelling, which is simpler and easier to understand.
He said the media has a significant role to play to ensure that jawi is
widely used. Jawi newspapers such as Utusan Melayu should be given new life
in order to attract Malaysians, he said.
He also called on institutions such as the National Translation Institute
and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka to produce more books in jawi.
MALAYSIA A UNIQUE NATION
When he first came to Malaysia, Dr Kang said, he realised that it was wrong
for South Koreans to believe that Malaysia was undeveloped.
"When I emerged from the airport, I saw development everywhere, tall
buildings and all. I saw many luxury cars such as BMW and Mercedes," he said.
Dr Kang said he is attracted to the plural society in Malaysia.
"When I first arrived in Malaysia, I was attracted to this concept , which
was absent in Korea then. But as the world changes, more people of other
ethnicities are coming to Korea.
"Therefore Korea learns to adapt to this, while in Malaysia it has been
existence for a long time, and I learned from Malaysia," he said.
Dr Kang is fascinated by the marriage of cultures that gives birth to a race
that in turn has its own identity, such as the Baba and Nyonya in Melaka.
He said Malaysia is a country rich in various arts and culture, inherited
from many centuries ago.
“And in the middle of all of these (cultures), we have the Malay culture
that binds all. It attracts many researchers, including me," he said.
He had this message for the younger generation of Malaysia: "It is good to
like other cultures such as K-Pop, but there is no need to exceed the
boundary, as there is the culture of our own to cherish.”
-- BERNAMA
FBR ZUL INE RON
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