Inclusion of Kawi script into Unicode will preserve the utilization of the script in the digital world which will be useful for the academic and historical purposes.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Internet Domain Name Registry (PANDI) will register the old Javanese script – which is called Kawi script -- to the National Standardization Agency (BSN) to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage through digitalization.

The script will also be registered as Internationalized Domain Names (IDN) to allow people around the world to use it as a domain name and for computer programming.

Deputy Head of PANDI Heru Nugroho said in his press statement on Sunday that the Kawi script has been used for a very long time as the main script in many regions throughout Indonesia, such as Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Sulawesi.

"The inclusion of Kawi script into Unicode will preserve the utilization of the script in the digital world. It will be useful for the academic and historical purposes," he continued.

Currently, the script has been accommodated into the draft of Unicode 15, and will be included in the ISO/IEC 10646 Amendment to be released at the end of 2022.

The digitization of Kawi script has been supported by the government and community members of Kediri City.

"We have prepared an Indonesian National Standard Design (RSNI) for Kawi Script by advancing the proposal for the National Standard Drafting Program (PNPS),” the PANDI deputy head said.

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In addition, his party has noted that the Religious Affairs Ministry has attempted to register Pegon script – a modified Arabic script used to write the Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, and Indonesian languages -- to BSN. Thus, PANDI can also register the script as an IDN to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

The Kawi and Pegon scripts have been proposed to get the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) through the BSN’s site of sispk.bsn.go.id.

Currently, the proposal is being processed to be published by BSN to seek for public opinion regarding the digitization of the scripts.

After completing the public review stage, it will be submitted to the Strategic Committee on Standards Development (KKPS) to be recommended to become a PNPS.

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Translator: Suryanto, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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