Clampdown on papers<\/p>\n
On June 28, 1994, all major Japanese papers reported on the
\nmedia clampdown in Jakarta early this week. NHK, Japan's country-
\nwide television station, reported on the ban twice.<\/p>\n
It came as a shock, at least to teachers and students who are
\nlearning Bahasa Indonesia or studying Indonesia abroad.<\/p>\n
The weekly Tempo has been one of the best teaching materials
\nwith its lively and sophisticated language. It has been such an
\noutstanding example of contemporary Indonesian that many teachers
\nhave encouraged their students to use it for their studies. The
\nmagazine also contributed to language education by organizing a
\nseminar on Bahasa Indonesia in Tokyo last year.<\/p>\n
But now, it is clear that this treasure of Bahasa Indonesia
\nmust suffer in Indonesia itself. The magazine was judged as
\nworthless and was excluded from participating in the development
\nof the national language.<\/p>\n
This judgment perhaps can be justified in the Indonesian
\ndemocracy, but it only threw more people into confusion about the
\ntheory of Indonesian democracy.<\/p>\n
If the banning represents the will of the people of Indonesia,
\nwhat many teachers of Bahasa Indonesia abroad have been teaching
\nmust be judged as incorrect.<\/p>\n
But they are unlikely to judge it as so.<\/p>\n
They will continue to say, "Tempo was a good example and it
\nwas banned."<\/p>\n
AKIHISA MATSUNO<\/p>\n
Osaka, Japan<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/clampdown-on-papers-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }