Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) has revealed that it is planning to make the Southern Thailand province of Phuket as the first centre for the development of Jawi script writing and Malay language in the region. According to its director-general Datuk Abang Salehuddin Abang Shokeran, the agency will be training jawi script writing teachers from among local residents.
According to Bernama, these locals would then act as DBP ambassadors and teach the latest Jawi spelling system in a more systematic way in the region as well as poromote the use Malay language in the southern provinces of Thailand. Abang Salehuddin further elaborated,
“At the initial stage our focus will be on Phuket before expanding to the six Andaman provinces, namely Krabi, Ranong, Phuket, Phang Nga, Trang and Satun,”
In case you didn’t know, residents of Southern Thailand still speaks a variation of the Malay language that is similar to the dialect found in East Coast Malaysia, namely Kelantan. In fact, the DBP director-general clarified that most of the people in Phuket even know the basics of Jawi script writing, but the main aim of the agency is to highlight the new Jawi spelling system used in Malaysia.
A 35-member delegation from MAIPs has been in Phuket since Friday to participate in the Ziarah Mahabbah programme. Yesterday, the Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail who is also Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) president, presented commemorative plaques to DBP representatives comprising school teachers from around Phuket.
So, what do you guys think of this programme by DBP in Southern Thailand? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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