Bantul enacts new policy to preserve Javanese

Bantul enacts new policy to preserve Javanese

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The Bantul regency government has introduced an initiative that
will require all civil servants in the administration to speak
Javanese only for one day a month.

The initiative is aimed at preserving the culture and language
of Javanese, which has been slowly sidelined by the national
language Bahasa Indonesia, according to an official.

"As part of the initiative, civil servants will have to speak
Javanese on the 20th of every month when they hold meetings,
interact with each other and deliver services to the public,"
said Bantul Regent Idham Samawi.

He said the initiative came about following a community
meeting last July 16 to commemorate the 172nd anniversary of
Bantul regency.

"The people's representatives who attended the gathering
ordered me to preserve Javanese culture," he said on Tuesday.

The regent did not go into details on whether civil servants
would face punishment if they failed to or could not speak
Javanese.

Idham said the initiative would include non-Javanese civil
servants, who the regent said should begin studying the Javanese
language and culture.

"They are brothers and sisters of the people of Bantul. If
they can't speak Javanese, they can learn it. It is not difficult
to learn Javanese if you have the will.

"These civil servants should be aware that we are all part of
the Bantul people, and we should work together to promote
development and unity in Bantul through culture."

Sukijan, the head of Munthuk hamlet in Dlingo district,
praised the initiative, saying it would help preserve Javanese
culture.