Mata Kain

Mata Kain is a writing system created by Muhammad Rasyid Taufiqul Hafidz in 2025 as an alternative script for Malay and Indonesian. It was specifically developed for Tutur Tenggelar, Rasyid's vision of Malay and Indonesian linguistic purism—an approach that seeks to remove loanwords without inventing entirely new terms or borrowing from other Austronesian languages. Because of this principle, the script is designed exclusively for native Malay and Indonesian vocabulary and sounds, whether of Austronesian or Austroasiatic origin.

The name Mata Kain means "the Eye of the Cloth", and the design of Mata Kain draws heavy inspiration from tenun and songkét weaving patterns, both iconic in Malay traditional fashion. True to its textile roots, the script is highly ornamental, with many glyphs created purely for decoration. Writers (or weavers) can also use alternating colors in the text, either just for visual appeal or to help distinguish consonants, vowels, and decorative symbols

Notable features

Type of writing system: Alphabet arranged in syllabic blocks
Writing direction: various.
Used to write: Malay and Indonesian
Letter shapes are featural
One syllabic glyph is called a corak ('pattern')
The letters are grouped into five:
- Haluan ('the hull'), the initials
- Kemudi ('the rudder'), the finals
- Muatan ('the content'), the vowels
- Bilangan, the numerals
- Hiasan, the ornaments
Some of the ornaments have typographic function

Mata Kain script

The titik ornaments correpond to pauses.
- Titik tunggal signifies a very brief pause.
- Titik kembar signifies a short pause.
- Titik berapit signifies a long pause, and also the end of a text.
The vertical orientation of a text is indicated by gigi balang and pucuk rebung.
- Gigi balang indicates a descending (top-to-bottom) text.
- Pucuk rebung indicates an ascending (bottom-to-top) text.
Itik pulang petang determines the horizontal orientation of a text.
- When it's placed at the right side of a text, it's read right-to-left.
- When it's placed at the left side of a text, it's read left-to-right.
Reduplications may be indicated by kecambah muda or belah betung.
- Kecambah muda signifies regular reduplication, be it full or partial.
- Belah betung signifies irregular reduplication.

Mata Kain script

Download an alphabet chart and details of Mata Kain (PDF)
Download Mata Kain fonts

Sample text in Mata Kain

Transliteration

Tiap-tiap orang diperanakkan berkeadaan bébas dengan kehendak dan kedudukan yang sama tinggi. Masing-masing dilimpahi benak hulu dengan mata hati, jua sekiranya tolong-menolong berlandaskan semangat sepenanggungan.

Translation

All werely beings are born free and alike in worthiness and rights. They are gifted with reðe and inwit and should behave towards one another in a mindset of brotherhood.
(A version of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Information about Malay | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel | Learning materials

Constructed and adapted scripts for Malay / Indonesian

Batasan, Aksara Beringin, aLrazikhuzairi, Berdikari, Cecarakan, Ganmak/Rotoflect, Gurkha, Humaira, Ibria, Jawacaraka, Kagangana, Malay-Indonesian Cyrillic, Malay Shavian Alphabet, Maula, Mata Kain, Surat Beringin, Semanggi

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