{
  "id": 1038255,
  "title": "Sabah teacher uses Jawi to bridge cultural and religious differences in Beluran",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/sabah-teacher-uses-jawi-to-bridge-cultural-and-religious-differences",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-15T13:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/08/15/sabah-teacher-uses-jawi-to-bridge-cultural-and-religious-differences-in-beluran/231461"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KOTA KINABALU, Aug 15 — For Lorenica Frenila Masundim, teaching Jawi script in the interior of Sabah represents more than just learning to write, it serves as a means to unite students and the wider community, promoting understanding across racial, religious, and cultural divides. The 36-year-old teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bawang in Beluran views Jawi lessons as an opportunity to deepen students' appreciation of the national language's heritage, especially among those who once perceived the script as foreign and exclusively Islamic. Lorenica expressed profound satisfaction in witnessing non-Muslim students, previously unfamiliar with Jawi, gradually become proficient in reading and comprehending the Malay writing system. \"Initially, some students viewed Jawi as too challenging, but after employing the transliteration technique from the application I developed, they were able to read it within a short period. Seeing their newfound understanding of Jawi fills me with an indescribable sense of fulfillment,\" Lorenica told Bernama. Her Rungus heritage and Christian beliefs have never impeded her learning about Jawi; rather, her position as a Bahasa Melayu teacher has driven her to grasp the script and its significance in the national language. \"Similar to the Malay language, I have never considered Jawi to belong to any specific race or religion. To me, it is a national treasure that all Malaysians should learn and protect,\" she emphasized. Lorenica first encountered the Jawi script in 2009 when she enrolled in a Basic Introduction to Jawi Writing course for one semester at the Institute of Teacher Education, Gaya Campus in Kota Kinabalu. Over the subsequent 15 years, she continued to expand her knowledge of Jawi before taking on the responsibility of teaching it in 2024, further refining her teaching methods through PhD research supported by the Ministry of Education's Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan (HLP) scholarship. To facilitate students' mastery of Jawi, she created the PANtaS baCA Jawi (PASCA-ج) application, which integrates transliteration techniques, interactive exercises, and self-directed learning, all part of her PhD research. Lorenica's commitment to promoting greater awareness of the Jawi script has earned her several prestigious awards, including the Tokoh Ibnu Uraiqith Maulidur Rasul 2024, the IMTIYAZ MURABBI Award for Jawi Cross-Cultural Inspiration Teacher 2025, and the Sabah Education Excellence Award 2025. However, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Ikon Wibawa Jawi 2024 award, bestowed upon her after a 12-second video of her Jawi teaching efforts went viral on social media, holds a special place in her heart. \"I received this award at the very beginning of my journey teaching Jawi. At that time, my contributions were minimal, but this award served as a trust and responsibility, motivating me to persevere and achieve the success I have today,\" Lorenica shared. In the context of this year's National Day and Malaysia Day (HKHM) celebrations, Lorenica emphasized that harmony within a plural society hinges on coexistence despite differences in identity, driven by understanding and mutual respect. \"Sabah stands as a prime example of how communities of various races and religions can coexist in mutual respect. As an educator, I firmly believe that unity originates in the classroom, where students learn to accept, comprehend, and respect each other's cultures. This is the essence of harmony in diversity,\" she concluded.",
  "summary": "KOTA KINABALU, Aug 15 — For Lorenica Frenila Masundim, teaching Jawi script at a school in Sabah’...",
  "key_points": [
    "Lorenica Frenila Masundim teaches Jawi script to bridge cultural, religious divides in Beluran.",
    "Formerly perceived as foreign and Islamic, students now proficient in reading Jawi."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Sabah teacher uses Jawi to bridge cultural and religious differences in Beluran",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/sabah-teacher-uses-jawi-to-bridge-cultural-and-religious-differences-1039232",
        "published": "2026-08-15T13:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}