TV dubbing proposal still open to public's discussion

TV dubbing proposal still open to public's discussion

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko said yesterday
that his recent proposal that television stations dub all foreign
programs into Indonesian language is not yet binding.

"It's still a proposal, not yet a law, and we're open to
suggestions," he said after submitting a draft bill on
broadcasting to the House of Representatives yesterday.

The minister's proposal is incorporated into the 58-chapter
draft bill. It states, among other things, that television
stations should dub all foreign programs, including those in
English, into Indonesian. Religious programs, language lessons,
and programs for international purposes, however, are to be
exempted from the stipulation.

Harmoko said last week that it would apply to imported
television programs from India, China and Latin America, whose
programs are growing in popularity among Indonesian viewers. Most
of these programs have already been dubbed into Indonesian.

The proposal has sparked much debate. Maria Oentoe, a leading
dubber, disagreed with the appeal to dub all foreign programs
into Indonesian, especially for English-language programs which
she said are needed for public education.

"Okay, this appeal is good news for dubbers," she said.
"There's opportunity in this, but it should also make all dubbers
work harder.

"If they can't be good dubbers, they shouldn't take the job,"
she said. "Don't make viewers turn off their televisions just
because of the poor dubbing or bad translation."

Denok Srisukartinah, an education counselor at the British
Council, is also against the idea.

"English language programs are needed to improve student
comprehension of the language," she said. "Besides, not all
English terms can be translated into Indonesian properly.

"The government should let the public decide by using an audio
technology which enables them to choose the languages of their
preference," she suggested.

Ediyami Bondan Andoko, head of National Library's department
for the preservation and deposit of reading materials, said she
agreed with the proposal but wanted it to exclude English
language programs.

"If I was studying English, I would want to know how a word is
pronounced," she said. "Besides, English is an international
language."

S. Djathi Koesoemo, a legislator on the House Commission IX
for education affairs, called for selectivity in the project.
"Don't dub art films unless they can be translated with quality
into Indonesian," he said. (31)