INTRODUCTION OF PSKK

INTRODUCTION

The Islamic calligraphy came about with the introduction of the religion of Islam to Peninsular Malaya in 1300. The evidence of the Batu Bersurat which is found in Trengganu is a proved that the Islamic calligraphy has been used since 1300 AD. Islam has assimilated the Malay culture in the Malay Peninsular.

During British intervention in the Malay states the agreement were writtened in Jawi. Jawi writing was widely used in the Peninsular. In 1957 Malaya was independent and Islam is an official religion of Malaya. In 1963 the formation of Malaysia where Sabah and Sarawak were included as federated states, Islam is the main religion and the knowledge of Islamic Calligraphy Art was not welly known althought the Jawi was still widely used where Utusan Melayu (Jawi newspaper) newspaper was a popular newspaper of the Malays.

In 1971, the resolution of National Cultural Congress – Islam is the main arts and culture of Malaysia. In 1975, Universiti Malaya (UM) organised Islamic Calligraphy Art Exhibitions in Peninsula Malaysia. thus resulted the Malaysian Muslims keen to learn Islamic Calligraphy Art. 

In 1982, the establishment of the International Commission for the Preservation of Islamic Cultural Heritage (ICPICH) Statute as a subsidiary organ of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was approved by the 13th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Niamey, Republic of Niger. – has undertaken series of competition, with the aim of creating awareness and consciousness for the preservation of Islamic cultural heritage. The Malaysian government was seriously keen in Islamic Arts and Culture. Thus, many activities on Islamic Arts and Culture had been organised and PSKK invovlved in some activities.

Before the formation of PSKK, it was known as Persatuan Penulis-Penulis Seni Khat Malaysia (PPPSKM). In the month of August 18^th 1985, at about 3.00 pm, at a Meeting Room of Sekolah Menengah Agama Wilayah Persekutuan, Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya, Selangor[1] a group of Islamic Calligraphy Art activists met to discuss the formation of an association which was known as Persatuan Penulis-Penulis Seni Khat Malaysia (PPPSKM). The committee members were Mohamed Yusof Abu Bakar, Idris Salam, Wan Mohamed. Yusof Wan Ali, Hj. Bachok Hj. Sayuti, Syed Mahdar Al-Shahab, Mahmud Hj. Awang, Mohammad Abd. Ghani, Husin Sulong, Zalika Khuzaimah Ngah, Azamah Deman, Ismail Hj. Ishak, Mohamed Nawai Yacob dan Margilan HARP. The meeting agreed to form Jawatankuasa Penaja PPPSKM[2] to register the association. The committee also agreed to collect some money for the preparation of perhimpunan agong PPPSKM. :-

1)      Tuan Syed Mahdar Shahab                    RM15.00

2)      En. Mahmod Awang                              RM20.00

3)      Pustaka Margillah                                  RM100.00

4)      Tuan Haji Bachok Haji Sayuti                RM50.00

5)      Tuan Haji Idris Salam                            RM100.00

6)      En. Mhamed Nawai Yacob                    RM20.00

7)      En. Ismail Hj. Ishak                               RM50.00

8)      En. Mohamed Yusof Abu Bakar           RM100.00

                                                   Jumlah     RM610.00 

In 1987, University of Malaya Islamic Calligraphy Art Club was formed. In 1988, the First National Islamic Calligraphy Competition “Manifestasi Perdana Seni Khat” organized by the Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan; dan Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd. has brought the birth of PSKK and officially announced during the prize presentation to the winners. The winners are automatically the members of the association. - Seni Khat (Seminar dan Pameran) Published by PSKK, page 32.

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[1] Minit mesyuarat PPPSKM

[2] ibid