VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Vice President Jusuf Kalla officially opened the holding of the XI Indonesian Language Congress (KBI) held 28 to 31 October at the Vice Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Monday. The Vice President invited all people to be proud of using Indonesian.

"We are grateful that our great nation is only one official language, Indonesian," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said in a press release received by ANTARA in Jakarta on Monday.

The Vice President stated that the forerunner of Indonesian language was Riau Malay language, although the language was not the largest language of its users when Indonesian youth declared Indonesian as the language of unity at the Youth Congress on October 28, 1928.

"All that gives us a sense of pride and gratitude to the founding fathers of the nation who have proposed and approved the use of Riau Malay language which is used as the language of the country," said Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Indonesian is the third or fourth language that is the most widely used in the world.

"Being our strength, Indonesian uses Latin letters. In Asia, only Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and the Philippines use Latin letters, so that we can orient ourselves in other languages. That`s why we use more practical language," explained the Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla hopes Indonesian language can continue to be developed again by adhering to the times.

"Hopefully this Indonesian Language Congress can provide progress and enlightenment to the public about how to use standard Indonesian but still be modern and keep up with the times," said Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud), Muhadjir Effendy, in his report said the Indonesian Language Language XI Congress was held, besides talking about developing and fostering languages ??and literature in the country, also talking about the enforcement of linguistic regulations and protection of regional languages ??and literature that became the nation`s wealth the main identity of ethnic diversity that cannot be extinct.

"This congress was attended by 1,031 participants, including foreign participants who came from 12 friendly countries. The presence of foreign participants was also a representation of the ongoing internationalization of Indonesian language programs," explained the Minister of Education and Culture.

The theme raised in the implementation of the KBI, said the Minister of Education and Culture, describes the condition of language, specifically in the public sphere, which is increasingly fulfilled by the use of unfamiliar foreign languages. (ANTARA)