Expat's defense

Clearly my letter, written in response to Sari Setiogi's article on the government's proposal to mandate language proficiency tests in Bahasa Indonesian fired debate among readers of The Jakarta Post, as did the proposal itself.

Most notably, Jacobson and Sastrowardoyo (the Post, Aug. 29) would probably be surprised that I agree with many of their points. I agree with Anthony Jacobson that indeed far too many expatriates live here for years in a bubble, without a command of the language beyond nasi goreng (fried rice). Subsequently, they do miss out on a great deal, as being able to speak Bahasa can bring them closer to their host country's people and culture.

I would also agree with Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo that "more and more expatriates are trying to master the Indonesian language" and have, thankfully, moved on from a colonial era. Far from being akin to the "Last of the Mohicans"... I think my Bahasa goes well beyond instructions on "how to clean dirty underwear". But, it didn't take a mandatory proficiency test to encourage me to take up regular lessons and attend two language courses in Yogjakarta seven years ago. The richness of the culture, and the people of Indonesia made that a priority.

Rather, my bone of contention with the proposal was on the issues of procedure and priority. Are language proficiency tests and an expectation of fluency in Bahasa -- before workers or students enter the country -- realistic right now? Will they really achieve the desired result, to boost foreign investment in Indonesia? Is this the time to instigate what might prove to be another deterrent -- rather than an incentive -- to move to Indonesia when international confidence is low? These are the big issues that are concerning about the proposal.

CATHY JONES Jakarta