Local Wisdom-Based Religious Moderation Education: The Sambas Malay Tradition in a Multi-Ethnic Society

Abstract

The Besaprah tradition in Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan, constitutes a form of local wisdom that embodies social, cultural, and religious values, including national commitment, tolerance, non-violence, and acceptance of local traditions. However, the potential of these values as socio-cultural capital for strengthening religious moderation remains underexplored, particularly in Sambas' multicultural border context. This study analyzes how values embedded in the Besaprah tradition contribute to religious moderation and social harmony among diverse ethnic and religious communities. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with a sequential explanatory design. The study collected quantitative data through questionnaires to examine community perceptions of Besaprah values, followed by qualitative interviews to deepen understanding of the quantitative results. The findings indicate that Besaprah embodies values aligned with Pancasila and serves as a socio-cultural resource for fostering interethnic and interreligious harmony. The tradition provides a shared social space that promotes inclusion, strengthens social cohesion, and encourages mutual respect among community members. These practices may also help mitigate the potential for social and religious conflict. In the context of Islamic education, the findings highlight opportunities to incorporate Besaprah values into the Merdeka Belajar curriculum and the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project (P5) to foster a moderate, tolerant, and socially responsible younger generation. The study suggests that revitalizing Besaprah as a form of local wisdom can provide a culturally grounded approach to strengthening religious moderation in Sambas and inform context-sensitive initiatives in other multicultural regions of Indonesia.