Deputy Speaker of the People\u2019s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) Lestari\nMoerdijat is pushing for a collective solution to address the impact of\nthe National Library of Indonesia\u2019s (Perpusnas) budget constraints.\nAccording to her, this must receive serious attention as part of efforts\nto improve national literacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cA number of concrete steps must be taken immediately so that the\nnational literacy movement does not come to a halt. Reviving mutual\ncooperation and creativity at all levels could be a solution for the\nsustainability of the literacy movement,\u201d said Lestari Moerdijat on\nMonday (20 July 2026).<\/p>\n
During a hearing with Commission X of the House of Representatives\n(DPR) on Thursday (16 July), Head of Perpusnas E. Aminudin Aziz said\nthat with the 2026 budget ceiling of Rp 377.9 billion, the free book\ndistribution programme for villages and reading gardens, which had been\nrunning successfully, had to be stopped entirely. Previously, in 2025,\nPerpusnas received a budget allocation of Rp 721.6 billion.<\/p>\n
According to Lestari, community literacy improvement programmes must\nbe carried out consistently and must not operate in silos.<\/p>\n
\u201cSynergy between central government, regional governments and\ncommunities must be strengthened with concrete action,\u201d she\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Moreover, she explained that the latest data from Perpusnas shows\nthat the national Community Literacy Development Index (IPLM) as of\nMarch 2026 remains at 40.6, which falls into the low category.<\/p>\n
A number of concrete steps must be taken immediately, including\nstrengthening the role of regional governments in promoting reading\nculture and literacy, as well as reinforcing multi-stakeholder\ncollaboration involving the business world, literacy activists and\ncommunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the main problems of literacy is not merely the absence of\nreading interest, but the still limited access to quality reading\nmaterials. Joint creativity is needed to reach even the remotest\ncorners, for instance by maximising the role of Community Reading\nGardens (TBM) scattered across the regions,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
In addition, book-friendly fiscal policies must be promoted,\nincluding abolishing Value Added Tax (VAT) on books and the tax on paper\nas a raw material for books.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiteracy is the foundation of the nation\u2019s sovereignty. If future\ngenerations are unable to properly analyse information due to low\nliteracy skills, this has the potential to erode the nation\u2019s\nsovereignty in the future,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mpr-deputy-speaker-says-national-literacy-improvement-must-not-stop-1784559347", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }