Language teaching hoped to help defuse separatism<\/p>\n
A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Minister of National Education Abdul Malik Fadjar said on Tuesday
\nthat teaching the country's national language, Bahasa Indonesia,
\ncould reduce separatist sentiments in the country.<\/p>\n
Speaking as a keynote speaker at the 8th Indonesian Language
\nCongress, Malik Fadjar said, \"Since the cause of rebellion is the
\nlack of a sense of nationalism, the teaching of Bahasa Indonesia
\nmay boost the sense of nationalism and thus overcome rebellion.\"<\/p>\n
The three-day congress is hosting 843 people who have come
\nfrom throughout the archipelago, as well as from foreign
\ncountries including Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria,
\nChina, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore and Suriname.<\/p>\n
As many as 61 local, and 18 foreign, experts on Indonesian
\nliterature and linguistics are scheduled to present their papers.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is currently facing separatist groups such as the
\nFree Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Free Papua Movement (OPM).<\/p>\n
Besides boosting the sense of nationalism, the teaching of
\nBahasa Indonesia is needed to resist the influx of technology and
\nforeign cultures, Malik Fadjar said.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is more complicated, as there is tendency to
\nuphold a foreign language, especially English, while Bahasa
\nIndonesia becomes the second language,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the problem had emerged because the teaching of the
\nnational language was boring and too theoretical.<\/p>\n
\"I hope the congress can find a way to make the Bahasa
\nIndonesia teaching methodology interesting, useful and
\nenlightening,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Many experts had earlier criticized the government through its
\nlanguage curriculum, called the Language Center, for focusing too
\nmuch on how to use Bahasa Indonesia yang Baik dan Benar (Good and
\nCorrect Indonesian Language Usage).<\/p>\n
They said by concentrating on how to use good and correct
\nBahasa Indonesia without considering evolving society and
\nculture, the \"Good and Correct Indonesian Language\" became
\nnobody's language and thus, unpopular.<\/p>\n
Besides their ethnic vernacular and tribal languages, most
\nIndonesians also speak popular dialects, such as the Jakarta
\ndialect, and slang-speak, such as Bahasa Gaul and Bahasa Prokem.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Language Center head Dendy Sugono said they would
\ncontinue to campaign the use of good and correct Indonesian.<\/p>\n
Dendy, who is also the congress' organizing committee
\nchairman, said improving individuals' ability in speaking the
\nnational language was also expected of all state officials, from
\nthe regency to the national levels.<\/p>\n
\"As part of our efforts to provide good role models, we award
\npublic figures who speak good Bahasa Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Gozney, Susilo get Bahasa awards<\/p>\n
Six public figures, including British Ambassador Richard Gozney
\nand Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono, were chosen on Tuesday as the best
\nspeakers of Bahasa Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Other noted figures who received the awards given in
\nconjunction with the 8th Indonesian Language Congress were
\nMinister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Muslim
\nscholar Nurcholish Madjid, political observer Eep Syaifullah
\nFatah and banking expert Pradjoto.<\/p>\n
Women writers NH Dini, Dorothea Rosa Herliany and Oka Rusmini
\nreceived literary awards on Tuesday, the opening of the four-day
\ncongress held at the Hotel Indonesia, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The congress is held every four years.<\/p>\n
Despite questioning his own command of Bahasa Indonesia,
\nGozney graciously accepted the award.<\/p>\n
Of the foreign envoys in Jakarta, Gozney has proven his
\nproficiency in the Indonesian language, including during public
\nevents, such as televised talk shows. --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/language-teaching-hoped-to-help-defuse-separatism-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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