Language and

Language and disintegration

From Kompas

Kompas published a report on Nov. 20 referring to the need to be Sundanese as one criterion for the selection of public officials. The news attributed as its source a proposal of the Justice Mandate (ABDI) faction, which was responding to a West Java regional conference on this matter. If this proposal genuinely came from people's representatives, who should have a broad horizon of thinking, I must express deep concern.

The Sundanese are one of the country's largest ethnic groups, found in various institutions and regions across the nation. If the proposal were to be approved and later became a regional regulation, it would prompt other provinces to do the same. Or, it may encourage West Java to issue other regulations in the same spirit, such as the requirement to be born in Banten, as shown on an ID card, in order to be able to join Banten's civil service.

Separatist thinking should be avoided and national orientation promoted. The Youth Pledge to build a unitary state, nation and language should not be broken. The implementation of regional autonomy, which gives rise to the danger of disintegration, should not be worsened by any coercion in the use of certain local tongues. Let us remain unified under the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.

SUNARYONO

Bekasi, West Java