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Source: Pelita Brunei​ (Translation MCYS)

Writer: Hajah Siti Zuraihah Haji Awang Sulaiman 

Photos: Ak. Mohd. Aminol Adi Azraie Pg. Haji Nikman

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sunday, 22 June – The second day of the International Islamic Manuscript Conference 2025 featured a presentation entitled “Islamic Writing Traditions of Brunei Darussalam: On Stone, Metal and Paper."

The presentation was delivered by Yang Berbahagia Dato' Dr. Annabel Teh Gallop, Head of the Southeast Asia Section at the British Library, London, and took place at the Auditorium Hall of the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Islamic Heritage Centre (BKISHHB).

Gracing the session as the guest of honour was the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Nazmi bin Haji Awang Mohamad.

In her presentation, Yang Berbahagia Dato' Dr. Annabel Teh Gallop highlighted that Brunei Darussalam is one of the most fascinating regions in the Malay world.

She added that the country is home to one of the earliest and richest collections of Islamic monuments in Southeast Asia.

She also noted that the earliest evidence of Islamic writing in Brunei Darussalam is found on tombstones, which bear the oldest known Malay-language inscriptions written in Arabic script in all of Southeast Asia—making them a uniquely valuable source for the study of early Malay in Jawi script.

Furthermore, the oldest known paper manuscript from Brunei Darussalam is a letter from the Sultan of Brunei to the Spanish Government in Manila.

According to her, the late 19th century saw the emergence of copper artefacts bearing Jawi inscriptions, including official measurement vessels issued by the Brunei Government.

Following the presentation, participants had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with Yang Berbahagia Dato' Dr. Annabel Teh Gallop.

Born in Winchester on 5 August 1961 and raised in Brunei Darussalam, Dr. Gallop holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics from the University of Bristol (1982), followed by a Master's Degree with Distinction in Indonesian and Malay Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London (1985).

She currently serves as Lead Curator of the Southeast Asia Section at the British Library in London and is regarded as a leading expert on Malay manuscripts, Islamic seals, and the material culture of the Islamic world in Southeast Asia.

Since joining the British Library in 1986, she has been responsible for overseeing its internationally renowned Southeast Asian collection.

The International Islamic Manuscript Conference 2025, themed “Islamic Manuscripts: A Bridge Between Past and Future", is being held from 21 to 24 June 2025. It is organised by BKISHHB in collaboration with Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), and Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (KUPU SB).

The conference also forms part of the Brunei Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition 2025 (Brunei MYCE 2025).

Among its objectives, the conference seeks to introduce and raise awareness of the vital role of Islamic manuscripts as a bridge between the intellectual and cultural legacy of the past and the evolving future of the Muslim ummah