By Shahfizal Musa
Pix UKMP

KUALA LUMPUR, 23 June 2014 – Expertise galvanised by The National University of Malaysia’s (UKM) consultancy outfit Pakarunding has developed a new display system for the International Quran Recitation competition which ended at Putra World Trade Centre here last weekend.

The display system, dubbed SpARQ was developed by experts from the Faculty of Islamic Studies and information technology profesionals from UKM Pakarunding (UKMP).

Experts from Department of Al-Quran and As-Sunnah Studies headed by Assoc Prof Dr Muhd Najib Abdul Kadir and assisted by Assoc Prof Dr Latifah Abd Majid, Dr Sabri Mohamad and Dr Wan Nasyrudin Wan Abdullah completed the system in a short period of time so as to be in time for the 56th International Al-Quran Recital.

The system was developed to assist the secretariat of the competition to create a more accurate and easy to read display for viewers at the venue and at home watching the competition on their tv sets.

Deputy Director of Information Technology Division JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development) Ustaz Mohd As’ari bin Abdan, said SpARQ addressed two issues; “One is the use of the Uthmani text, which is a standard text used by the Saudi Government and secondly the translation used is based on the Ar Rahman led translation which is approved by JAKIM”

Business Development Director of UKMP, Syamsul Amri Abd Razak said this is the second system developed by them to assist JAKIM in the International Quran Recitation.

He said the display system used the Uthman Taha Calligraphy a universally accepted calligraphy which is easy to read. It ensures uniformity and avoided confusion.

He said last year the voting system used allows a reciter to randomly choose the date for their reading and the verses to read by just touching a computer screen.