Question: Malay literature was first written in which language?
About the article "Malaysia", section "Fine arts".

Candidate passages:
As Malays are the indigenous people of Singapore, the Malay language, specifically in Rumi (Roman script) rather than Jawi script, is ceremonially recognised as the national language of Singapore.
Once the lingua franca of Southeast Asia, Malay is the home language of 82.7% of Malay Singaporeans, as of 2010.
During the period of British colonisation, instilling basic literacy and numeracy were the aims of the then available Malay-medium primary schools built by the government, in addition to maintaining the Malay culture.
In contrast, the colonial government did not provide for the Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools.
By 1986, only a single class of 28 students at the end of their Malay-medium secondary education remained, with no primary level students left.
Malay-medium schools thus came to a natural demise, as children ceased to register for Malay-medium education.
This was unlike the Chinese-medium schools, which were removed by the government.
Today, the status and development of the Malay language in Singapore is overseen by the Malay Language Council of Singapore (Majlis Bahasa Melayu Singapura), which was first established in April 1981.
In addition to standardising Malay spelling in Singapore, the council also promotes the usage of the Malay language through the Malay Language Month (Bulan Bahasa Melayu Singapura), first introduced in 1962.
The Malay Language Month aims to ensure the continuity of the language as a strong part of the Malay heritage through activities like performances, competitions, and workshops.
The primary level of the Malay language syllabus covers the foundations of students' proficiency at listening, speech, reading, and writing in Malay.
The table below outlines the intended learning outcomes of the syllabus.
Recently, the Ministry of Education enabled increased flexibility in the Malay language curriculum, at the Lower Primary level (Primary 1–3), by introducing "ability banding or differentiated instruction within a class".
The following table summarises the changes made with regard to the Malay language policy:The secondary level of the Malay language syllabus aims to further students' acquisition and use of effective Malay language, such that their enhanced communication skills will facilitate their appreciation of the Malay language, literature, culture, and values.
The following table summarises the changes made with regard to the Malay language policy.
In 1976, the MOE accepted a new Malay spelling system which Malaysia and Indonesia had adopted in 1973. 
Alamat Lankapuri (, 'News from the Island of Lanka') was a Malay language fortnightly publication in Jawi script, issued from Colombo, Ceylon.
"Alamat Lankapuri" was first published in June 1869.
It was the first Jawi script Malay-language newspaper printed worldwide.
The newspaper was printed by lithograph.
Baba Ounus Saldin was the publisher, editor and lithographer of "Alamat Lankapuri".
Saldin set up a printing press by the name of Alamat Langkapuri Press, which would gain fame in the Muslim community of the island (which printed Muslim Malay and Arabu-Tamil literature).
The publication carried local and world news, as well as syairs, pantuns and other forms of traditional poetry.
Whilst primarily directed towards the Malay diaspora in Ceylon, the "Alamat Langkapuri" also had a readership in the Malay archipelago.
Through the newspaper Saldin sought to promote Malay culture and language.
He published various advertisements for imports of Malay literature in "Alamat Lankapuri", as well as advertisements for books to learn Malay and Malay-English dictionaries.
Some of the notices and advertisements in the newspaper were written in Arabu-Tamil.
The publishing of "Alamat Lankapuri" was not a profitable venue for Saldin's private finances.
It was closed down towards the end of 1870, due to insufficient number of subscribers.
The publication was relaunched in 1877, but would close down definitely in the following year.
Saldin would started a new publication, "Wajah Selong" ('Light of Ceylon'), in 1895.
"Alamat Lankapuri" and "Wajah Selong" were the only two papers of their kind in the history of the country. 
The rich oral literature and classical literature of the Malays contain a great number of portraits of the people, from the servant to the minister, from the judge to the Rajas, from the ancient to the very contemporary periods, which together form the amorphous identity of the Malays.
Considering the softness and mellifluence of the Malay language, which lends itself easily to the requirements of rhyme and rhythm, the originality and beauty in Malay literature can be assessed in its poetical elements.
Among the forms of poetry in Malay literature are – the Pantun, Syair and Gurindam.
The earliest form of Malay literature was the oral literature and its central subjects are traditional folklore relating to nature, animals and people.
The folklore were memorized and passed from one generation of storytellers to the next.
Many of these tales were also written down by "penglipur lara" (storytellers) for example: "Hikayat Malim Dewa", "Hikayat Malim Deman", "Hikayat Raja Donan", "Hikayat Anggun Cik Tunggal", and "Hikayat Awang Sulung Merah Muda".
When Indian influences made their way to the Malay Archipelago around 2000 years ago, Malay literature began incorporating Indian elements.
Literature of this time is mostly translations of Sanskrit literature and romances, or at least some productions inspired by such, and is full of allusions to Hindu mythology.
Probably to this early time may be traced such works as "Hikayat Seri Rama" (a free translation of the "Ramayana"), "Hikayat Bayan Budiman" (an adaptation of Śukasaptati) and "Hikayat Panca Tanderan" (an adaptation of "Hitopadesha").
The era of classical Malay literature started after the arrival of Islam and the invention of Jawi script (Arabic based Malay script).
Since then, Islamic beliefs and concepts began to make its mark on Malay literature.
The Terengganu Inscription Stone, which is dated to 1303, is the earliest known narrative Malay writing.
The stone is inscribed with an account of history, law, and romance in Jawi script.
At its height, Melaka sultanate was not only the center of Islamisation, but also the center of Malay cultural expressions including literature.
During this era, notable Middle Eastern literary works were translated and religious books were written in Malay language.
Among famous translated works are "Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah" and "Hikayat Amir Hamzah".
The rise of Malay literature during the period was also penned by other homegrown literary composition coloured by mystical Sufism of the middle-east, the notable works of Hamzah Fansuri such as Asrar al-Arifin ("Rahsia Orang yang Bijaksana;" The Secret of the Wise), Sharab al-Asyikin ("Minuman Segala Orang yang Berahi;" The Drink of All the Passion) and Zinat al-Muwahidin ("Perhiasan Sekalian Orang yang Mengesakan;" The Ornament of All the Devoted) can be seen as the magna opera of the era.
The most important piece of Malay literary works is perhaps the famed Malay Annals or Sulalatus Salatin.
It was called "the most famous, distinctive and best of all Malay literary works" by one of the most prominent scholars in Malay studies, Sir Richard O. Winstedt.
The exact date of its composition and the identity of its original author are uncertain, but under the order of Sultan Alauddin Riaayat Shah III of Johor in 1612, Tun Sri Lanang oversaw the editorial and compilation process of the Malay Annals.
In 19th century, the Malay literature received some notable additions through writings of Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir, a famous Melaka-born munshi of Singapore.
Abdullah is regarded as the most cultured Malay who ever wrote, one of the greatest innovators in Malay letters and the father of modern Malay literature.
His most important works are the "Hikayat Abdullah" (an autobiography), "Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah ke Kelantan" (an account of his trip for the government to Kelantan), and "Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah ke Mekah" (a narrative of his pilgrimage to Mecca 1854).
His work was an inspiration to future generations of writers and marks an early stage in the transition from classical Malay literature to modern Malay literature. 
Early Indonesian literature originates in Malay literature, and the influence of these roots was felt until well into the twentieth century.
The literature produced by the "Pujangga lama" (literally "the old poets") was mainly written before the 20th century, but after the coming of Islam.
Before that time, however, there must have existed a lively oral tradition.
Within traditional Malay-language literature, sometimes it is differentiated into 3 periods: before ~1550AD; between ~1550-1750AD; ~1750-1900AD. 
The strong oral tradition that has existed since before the arrival of writing to what is now Malaysia continues today.
These early works were heavily influenced by Indian epics.
Oral literature such as folktales flourished even after printed works appeared.
The Arabic Jawi script arrived with the coming of Islam to the peninsula in the late 15th century.
At this point, stories which previously had given lessons in Hinduism and Buddhism were taken to have more universal meanings, with their main story lines remaining intact.
Each of the Malay Sultanates created their own literary tradition influenced by preexisting oral stories and by the stories that came with Islam.
The arrival of the printing press in Malaysia was key in allowing literature to be accessed by more than those rich enough to afford handwritten manuscripts.
There was a division between the royal Malays, who knew English, and the lower classes, who only read Malay.
In the early years of the 20th century, literature began to change to reflect the changing norms of Malaysians.
In 1971 the government took the step of defining the literature of different languages.
Literature written in Malay was called "The National Literature of Malaysia"; literature in other bumiputra languages was called "regional literature"; literature in other languages was called "sectional literature".
Malay poetry is highly developed, and uses many forms.
A "Hikayat" is a traditional narrative, and stories written in that fashion are named using Hikayat followed by the name(s) of the protagonist(s).
The "pantun" is a form of poetry used in many aspects of Malay culture.
The "Syair" is another form of narrative, once very popular.
The Hikayat form remains popular, and the pantun has spread from Malay to other languages.
Until the 19th century, literature produced in Malaysia focused mainly on tales of royalty, as it was produced just for royalty.
It was after this point that it expanded to other areas.
The race riots of 1969 strongly influenced literature; the improvements of the economy in the 1980s brought about social changes and new forms of literature.
The first Malay literature was in Arabic script.
The earliest known Malay writing is on the Terengganu Inscription Stone, made in 1303.
One of the more famous Malay works is the "Sulalatus al-Salatin", also known as the "Sejarah Melayu" (meaning "The Malay Annals").
It was originally recorded in the 15th century, although it has since been edited; the known version is from the 16th century.
The "Hikaya Rajit Pasai", written in the 15th century, is another significant literary work.
The "Hikayat Hang Tuah", or story of Hang Tuah, tells the story of Hang Tuah and his devotion to his Sultan.
This is the most famous Hikayat; it drew from the "Sejarah Melayu".
Both have been nominated as world heritage items under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 'Memory of the World' programme.
Folktales such as the "Hikayat Sang Kancil", about a clever mouse deer, are popular, as are adventures such as "Ramayana", adapted from Indian epics.
Munshi Abdullah (Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir), who lived from 1797–1854, is regarded as the father of Malay literature.
"Hikayat Abdullah", his autobiography, is about everyday life at the time when British influence was spreading.
Female Malay writers began becoming popular in the 1950s.
Different ethnic and linguistic groups have produced works in their own languages.
Chinese and Indian literature became common as the numbers of speakers increased in Malaysia, and locally produced works based in languages from those areas began to be produced in the 19th century.
Beginning in the 1950s, Chinese literature expanded; homemade literature in Indian languages has failed to emerge.
English has become a common literary language.