Realities and Challenges of Digitizing Malay Manuscripts

The Malay manuscript heritage, a highly valuable treasure, faces continuous destruction due to the sluggishness of digitization initiatives, affecting access and long-term preservation. This issue is compounded by infrastructure failures and a systematic lack of expertise, leaving a large portion of important materials in fragile analog formats. Previous studies often focused solely on technical aspects but less on the holistic challenges from interconnected socio-technical and governance political perspectives. This conceptual analysis, based on in-depth document analysis, delves into the root causes of this crisis. Findings reveal three main themes: a significant digital divide between institutions, vague and inconsistent national policies, and the erosion of manuscript literacy in contemporary society. This study posits that without an integrated strategy binding technology, policy, and community involvement, this heritage is destined to vanish, demanding immediate and bold policy action.

Digitization, Malay Manuscripts, Cultural Heritage

1. Abdullah, A. (2019). Digitalisasi Manuskrip Melayu: Cabaran dan Peluang di Institusi Kecil. Jurnal Warisan Melayu, 12(1), 45-60. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Azman, S. (2020). Beyond the Scan: Community Engagement in Digital Heritage Projects in Southeast Asia. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 26(3), 299-315. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Brown, S. (2023). The Fragility of Digital Preservation: Lessons from Archives and Libraries. Digital Library Perspectives, 39(1), 1-15. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Foucault, M. (1972). The Archaeology of Knowledge and the Discourse on Language. Pantheon Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Hassan, R., & Karim, M. A. (2018). Isu Hak Cipta dalam Pendigitalan Naskhah Klasik Melayu: Satu Perbincangan. Jurnal Filologi Melayu, 26, 1-17. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Hashim, N. (2017). Kemerosotan Kemahiran Paleografi di Kalangan Generasi Muda: Impak Terhadap Warisan Bertulis. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 17(3), 1-16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Heim, M. (1993). The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality. Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Jones, A. (2005). Microfilm and Digital Imaging: A Hybrid Approach to Preservation. Library Resources & Technical Services, 49(1), 18-29. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Norhayati, I., Ramlah, A. M., & Nor Azan, B. (2020). Pengurusan Koleksi Manuskrip Melayu di Perpustakaan Universiti: Cabaran dan Solusi. Jurnal Pengurusan dan Pustakawan, 18(2), 23-40. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Ramli, S. (2022). Decolonizing Digital Heritage: A Critique of Western-Centric Digital Preservation Models. Journal of Archival Science, 22(4), 450-468. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Smith, P. (2018). Technical Considerations in Digitizing Historical Documents. Journal of Digital Humanities, 7(2), 112-128. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. UNESCO. (2015). Guidelines for the Preservation of Digital Heritage. UNESCO. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Yahaya, K. (2021). Dana dan Dasar: Halangan Utama Projek Pendigitalan Warisan di Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 6(1), 55-70. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Data Integration in Malaysian Syariah Courts: A Study of Challenges and Solutions
• The Concept of Family Well-Being from the Perspectives of Islam, Western Thought and Malaysia Madani
• Leveraging AI Tools for Islamic Scholarship: Podcast and eBook Innovations in Teaching the Sunni Intellectual Tradition
• Cryptocurrency and Shariah: Analyzing the Implications of Islamic Jurisprudence on Bitcoin and its Ethical Framework
• Islamic Credit Card and its Value-Based Proposition: A Perspective from Maqasid Al-Shariah