'Encouraging English fluency is a must'

'Encouraging English fluency is a must'

JAKARTA: A one-day seminar recommended on Wednesday that the
government declare English a second language in an effort to
encourage fluency in English among Indonesians.

The seminar, organized by PT Offistarindo Adhiprima, said the
government should take such a step because Indonesians trailed
far behind Malaysians, Singaporeans and Filipinos in spoken
English abilities.

Legislator Taufikurrahman Saleh, who chairs the House of
Representatives commission for educational affairs, opened the
event, and speakers included Donald B. Gibb of the U.S.-based
Rosetta Stone Software Inc. and Duque Hong of Hong Kong-based
Media International Inc. -- JP