KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 ― In a move to boost a tradition and culture that has shaped Malaysia, Fridays have now been declared "Jawi Day”, effective today.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Senator Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri said in a statement today the proposal which was made in the Cabinet meeting on July 8, had the full support of all the ministers.

"The government is serious about upholding the jawi script. I urge all ministries, departments, federal and state agencies, non-governmental organisations and Malaysians to work together in preserving this national heritage,” he said.

He added part of the move includes using jawi script in the letterhead of official letters from the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), beginning today.

Zulkifli said the use of jawi will be expanded to information on the agency’s official social media.

He added that the use of Jawi is recognised in the Federal Constitution and entrenched in Section 9 of the National Language Act 1963/67.

This Act states that Rumi is the script in which the national language is written, with the condition that this does not bar the Jawi script from being used. ― Bernama