RRI.CO.ID, Singkawang - Hundreds of teachers, academics, and education practitioners gathered at the Rumah Melayu Balai Serumpun, Singkawang, West Kalimantan, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, to discuss on a single urgent agenda: embedding the Sambas Malay language as a formal local content subject within the city's school curriculum.

The discussion was held during the Indonesian Teachers' Association (PGRI) of Singkawang City convened its City Working Conference, on June 3, 2026. Singkawang Deputy Mayor, Muhammadin, who opened the event, framed the initiative as far more than a linguistic exercise, arguing that language preservation is inseparable from the larger work of shaping the identity and character of the next generation.

"Since the past until now, the synergy between the administration and PGRI must continue to be strengthened because we share the same goal, preparing quality human resources for the future," he said, as quoted by infopublik.id.

On the place of Sambas Malay in schools specifically, Muhammadin was emphatic. Beyond serving as a communication tool, he said, the language carries within it a system of values, etiquette, and cultural sensibility that formal education is uniquely positioned to pass on.

"Malay language is not only a means of communication, but also a medium for inheriting cultural values, courtesy, and ethics to the younger generation," he said.

He warned against the risk of a generation that advances academically while losing its cultural roots, stressing that technological and scientific progress must walk alongside, not in place of, local cultural preservation.

"We must not let our children advance in knowledge but lose their identity because they no longer know their own regional culture and language," he said firmly.

Singkawang City Head of Education and Culture Agency, Asmadi, outlined the policy framework already in motion. All educational institutions across the city, from early childhood through senior high school, are now required to implement the Trigatra Bangun Bahasa concept, a three-pillar language model that his office has formally adopted.

"Students must prioritize the Indonesian language, preserve regional languages, and master foreign languages. This is what we call Trigatra Bangun Bahasa," he explained.

Asmadi added that the Education and Culture Agency has been working alongside PGRI Singkawang to draft a curriculum design that formally positions Sambas Malay as a local content subject. This framework will give the language dedicated instructional space rather than leaving its transmission to chance.

Through the conference and its accompanying education seminar, Singkawang's educators and officials are signaling a collective determination to ensure that Sambas Malay does not quietly exit the classroom. ***