His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Chancellor of Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali yesterday underscored that Borneo island has undergone rapid development, spurred by the establishment of knowledge centres that have shaped a civilised society.
With Islam being a predominant belief or religion in Borneo, such a conference which has been held for more than a decade is still continuing its intellectual discourse up until today, His Majesty said in a titah during the opening ceremony of the 15th Borneo Islamic International Conference (KAIB XV) at the International Convention Centre, Berakas yesterday.
In the titah, the monarch reiterated that the contribution of academics serves as the pillar of ummah’s development.
Themed ‘Developing Islamic Sustainable and Urban Community’, His Majesty sees the characteristics of Islamic urban development as holistic, not just material or physical development, but also on balanced physical and spiritual development. The monarch said this is the reality of history, of which how large governments in ancient times have collapsed because the development was not built based on strong rabbani values. Hence, the civilisation built for so long collapsed until it was only left with oral tradition.
Based on the experience and outcomes, a sustainable development constructed with degraded materials is not desirable, the monarch reminded.
His Majesty, added the goal is to achieve an Islamic sustainable urban development that balances both material and spiritual values.
The monarch also highlighted the abundance of natural resources in Borneo island, stressing it must also be rich in spiritual resources to build resilient and strong communities capable in facing challenges and pressures of times.
On this note, His Majesty called upon higher learning institutions in Borneo to become centres of knowledge that not only offer programmes to meet current demands but also educate and shape the nation into balanced individuals. In the context of discussing building civilisation, particularly the Islamic community in the Malay world, His Majesty reminded the intellectual treasures in the form of various manuscripts and classical kitab written by past Islamic scholars must not be forgotten.
His Majesty saw the need for the establishment of a centre that is responsible for preserving and sustaining these manuscripts. The centre, according to His Majesty, will serve as a research source that is related to religion, identity, origins, history, traditions and the legacy of the community in the region.
Through the centre, His Majesty added, manuscripts research activities could be activated. This is crucial, because manuscripts are heritage or treasures that stored a wealth of valuable knowledge and information.
Exploring the works of classical scholars will raise awareness and understanding among the current generation about the history of the nation and country, paving the way for progressive and comprehensive future development.
His Majesty expressed hope these valuable manuscripts would be easily accessible through digital technology, thus broadening their dissemination across Borneo and the world. – Rokiah Mahmud
