Andung's English irks SBY in India
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Bangalore, India
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appeared irate -- perhaps the first time publicly since he was sworn in back in October 2004 -- upon hearing Minister of Industry Andung Nitimihardja's apparent question during a visit to Indian software giant Infosys Technologies Ltd. on Monday.
Himself a PhD holder in agricultural economics from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture and a Webster University alum, Susilo convincingly delivered his speech in English to executives of the company.
Everything was running smoothly until Andung raised what is thought to be a question to Infosys chairman Narayana NR Murthy and chief executive officer Nandan M. Nilekani. It was unclear what he meant, but Andung mentioned something to the effect that software exports from Indonesia were estimated at US$400 million last year.
Andung's muddled assemblage of apparently English words, left the executives visibly perplexed and the audience silent for a long, uncomfortable moment, as everyone attempted to decipher the verbiage. President Susilo had a disturbed look on his face and turned and glared furiously at Andung.
"If he is not sure of his English, he must not ask questions. It is embarrassing. I think he should take an English course to catch up with fellow ministers, who have shown their capabilities," said an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal, who is also a foreign affairs ministry official, was quick to read the awkward situation and promptly asked another, clearer, question of the Infosys executives.
"Well, I partly intended to neutralize the situation. It seemed that President Susilo was not exactly pleased after Minister Andung asked the question," he explained.
Andung, who holds a degree from a university in Pittsburgh, might have felt obliged to ask a question after Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu, who studied at the University of California, Davis, and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie successfully asked questions about the Infosys success strategy.
Without a trace of irony, Infosys chairman Murthy told the audience that among the key successes of Infosys, and India generally, in developing the software industry was good skills in English in order to communicate well with the international community.
"Aside from reform of economic policies and support from the government, the most important key for developing the software industry is a good command of English," he said, adding that all tariffs for the importation of computers and other hardware should be scrapped in order to create more talented programmers.
With the second largest number of English speakers in the world, India also ranks as the second largest software producer after the United States. This year, India's software exports are estimated to be worth some US$17 billion. The figure is projected to rise to over $50 billion in 2008.
With $6.85 billion in revenue in the first quarter of this year, Infosys is India's second-largest software producer after Tata Consultancy Service Ltd., which recorded net sales of $9.82 billion in the first three months of the year.
Susilo said Indonesia would try to take advantage of its creative people in order to cater to the development of the software industry by seeking cooperation with other countries, particularly India.