The Perlis branch of the Malaysian Historical Society (PSM) has proposed that the local authorities in the country make it compulsory for signboards to be written in Jawi as well as Roman scripts.

Its chairman, Datuk Yazid Mat said this was important in keeping the Jawi script alive and ensuring that its importance and usage were preserved by future generations.

It was recommended that Jawi script be used for street name signboards, names of buildings, places and on certain noticeboards for the public, he said.

"With this approach, we can help revive the use of Jawi as people will be able to read them everywhere they go," he told Bernama after chairing the society's committee meeting in Chuping, near here, today.

Yazid said the committee also urged the government to act more firmly in upholding the Malay language as the official language, with the country now into its 58th year of independence.