RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture has expressed support for the compilation and publication of the works of Syekh Yusuf al-Makassari as part of efforts to preserve manuscript-based national cultural heritage, based on a release received by RRI VOI, in Jakarta on Saturday, 2 May 2026. The initiative is being developed in collaboration with the Nusantara Manuscript Society (Manassa).

The ministry said many of Syekh Yusuf’s writings remain in manuscript form and are scattered across various collections. As a result, public access to verified texts has remained limited.

At least 23 works of Syekh Yusuf have been identified through previous research conducted by Manassa. Indonesia’s National Library also preserves three important manuscript bundles linked to the scholar and originating from the royal library of the Banten Sultanate.

Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, welcomed the program and described it as part of a broader effort to preserve Nusantara manuscripts. He said the project would also contribute to strengthening Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy.

He stressed the need to accelerate the work so the publication could be launched during a strategic moment this year. He also instructed that the original Arabic texts be maintained alongside Indonesian translations for readers.

“The texts do not need to be transliterated, but English translation remains an option for future development,” Fadli said. He added that an English edition could receive a positive response in South Africa and expand the international reach of the works.

Meanwhile, Manassa Chairman, Agus Iswanto, said five additional related manuscripts are still stored in Leiden, the Netherlands. He noted that two are already available in digital format, while three others require formal requests for access and digitization.

Through the initiative, the Ministry of Culture aims to bolster preservation, research, and dissemination of Nusantara intellectual heritage. The program is also expected to broaden public access to the important works of Syekh Yusuf for audiences in Indonesia and abroad.