Dubbing

I'm glad the Armed Forces is against the idea of dubbing English programs on TV (The Jakarta Post, May 11, 1995).

I realize that dubbing foreign programs into Indonesian could have a positive effect on the development of the language. However, we should not forget that Indonesia is an integral part of the world and Indonesians will need to be able to communicate in English. This is especially true in the business, information and technology sectors.

English lessons at school are not sufficient. Most university graduates are not even able to write and speak the language well, forcing the more serious students to take additional courses outside of school.

Those who live outside of Java have greater constraints to learning English, including a lack of facilities. Also, many cannot afford to buy books and learning aids such as cassettes.

Here is where TV programs can help. TV sets are found in almost every home and dubbing would eliminate these opportunities. Indonesian can be learned through national films and school programs. After all, the Indonesian language is the medium of instruction at almost all schools in Indonesia.

ROSEPAN SOPIA

Samarinda,

East Kalimantan