Gus Dur's vulgar expressions queried
Gus Dur's vulgar expressions queried
SURABAYA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid and some other
political leaders tend to use vulgar, sarcastic and rude
expressions, a professor of Bahasa Indonesia says.
Suparno, the head of Indonesian Language Center in Surabaya,
told The Jakarta Post on the side lines of a one-day seminar on
Bahasa Indonesia here that such language was not conducive to
creating a civil society which emphasizes ethical communication.
The seminar, taking place at the Airlangga University in
Surabaya was held to mark the Bahasa month in October.
Some 200 participants attended the seminar, which was
organized by the Airlangga University.
He said that each figure had his or her own rhetoric style.
"When speaking in front of the public he or she may be unaware
that the sarcastic idioms or expressions he or she is using are
not acceptable to the people.
"How often Gus Dur says biang kerok (mastermind or instigator)
and maling (thieves) and other words of the sort which should not
be spoken by a political figure in front of the public.
"It is very possible that the idioms and words are expressed
in resentment. But what would happen if the words were spoken in
an official forum like a House of Representatives' session," he
said, adding that a political figure like the President should be
able to restrain himself.
He warned that Indonesian people are paternalistic and
perceive their leaders as centers of reference. He hoped that
political leaders with a large number of supporters would mind
their language and use ethical phrases in their speeches.
"I also see legislators at all levels of the administration
using obscene language. The nature of their educational
background may be the reason."
Suparno also criticized the press for tending toward the use
of improper words and students for using unpolished language
during demonstrations.
"I am one of the people who is worried that civil society is
just a dream and violence will remain everywhere," he said.
Another speaker M. Jalal, teacher at the School of Literature
at Airlangga University, said that euphemisms were the trade mark
of the New Order leaders.
"There is nothing wrong with the use of euphemisms, but
manipulating the meaning of the words is improper," he said,
citing the use of diamankan (saved) for arrested and disesuaikan
(adjusted) for hiked (for commodity prices).
The other speakers were Soeseno Kartomihardjo and Dede Oetomo.
(nur/sur)