THE MINISTRY of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen), through the Language Development and Development Agency (Language Agency), seeks aspirations regarding the literary sector to advance language, literature and literacy through education in Indonesia. These aspirations were conveyed by Indonesian language, literature and literacy figures at the ‘Minister Ngariung with Language, Literature and Literacy Figures’ event which was held at the Language Development and Development Agency (Badan Bahasa).
“I feel happy to be at this event for two reasons. First, because I can meet the poets whose work I read and have an influence on my life. And second, I am happy to meet the poets whose work is able to foster imagination and dreams for the future,” said the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu’ti, in Jakarta, Friday (8/11).
Minister Mu’ti said that the nation could progress not only with the economic side, but also with the great minds of extraordinary poets who sparked the younger generation to dream of the future. Furthermore, he hopes that in the future literary books can be published and distributed to schools for students to read.
“We want to bring books closer to the community. For this reason, we want to place books in several public facilities, such as airports and terminals, so that people can feel and be sovereign with Indonesian language literary works,” he said
Concluding his remarks, Minister Mu’ti hoped that the love for literature would grow again in the younger generation so that literacy through literary works could build a great national civilization in the future. “We want to hear aspirations to revive the spirit of reading and the culture of writing, especially writing literary works. I am sure that the young generation will build this country one way by producing great literary works,” concluded Minister Mu’ti.
On the same occasion, the Head of the Language Agency, E. Aminudin Azis, said that this Ngariung Minister together with language, literature and literacy figures was the first time this had been carried out in the history of literature. According to him, this event is an arena for dialogue that shows mutual concern about the existence of literature in Indonesia
“They are real actors in the fields of language, literature and literacy. Tonight we witnessed Minister Abdul Mu’ti listening to the aspirations of literary figures,” said Aminudin.
Aminudin added that the aspirations given in this event would be taken into consideration in language learning policies and literacy activities. “This event is also an implementation in formulating Indonesian Language Sovereignty, namely Proud, Proficient and Advanced with Indonesian,” concluded Aminudin.
Meanwhile, aspirations in the field of literature were also conveyed by a young writer named Feby Indirani. On this occasion he highlighted the lack of access to books which had an impact on the percentage of students’ interest in reading.
“I and other writers analyzed that the main source of the lack of interest in reading is access to books, where literary books are quite expensive to buy. And the government must also pay attention to the paper trade system. “Many areas already have printers and publishers, but they have to bring basic materials which still have to be obtained on Java or Jakarta,” explained Feby.
Pipit Senja also expressed other aspirations. In his presentation he said that one of the Southeast Asian countries he visited already had an appreciation for language figures, writers and literacy.
“With the story of Minister Mu’ti who can dream of the future from literary works, I think the government needs to think about respecting literary figures. “It could be in the form of creating a museum, publishing government literary magazines, or other assistance that has a positive impact on these figures,” said Pipit.
In line with Feby and Pipit, Ahmadun Yosi Herfanda also expressed other aspirations. On that occasion he highlighted the difficulty of writers in publishing their works. He said that the impact of intense market competition had caused several literary magazines to decline and even close.
“Publication opportunities are currently very difficult because the media where we publish our work has disappeared. “What is the government’s role in funding media for literary publications or even creating literary media fostered by the government for writers to publish their works,” added Ahmadun.
This event was attended by the Head of Commission X DPR RI, Anita Jacoba Gah and Hj. Ledia Hanifa, who also read poetry. Apart from that, there were also the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Fajar Riza UI Haq, Secretary General, Suharti; Expert Staff for Community Relations and Institutions, Adlin Sila; echelon 2 officials of the Ministry of Basic Education; and around 200 language, literature and literacy figures.
During the event, Minister Mu’ti also read a poem by Taufiq Ismail which also closed the entire series of Ngariung events. (S-1)
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**Interview with Minister Abdul Mu’ti on Advancing Indonesian Language and Literature**
**Interviewer**: Minister Abdul Mu’ti, thank you for joining us today. The recent ‘Ngariung with Language, Literature and Literacy Figures’ event seems to have sparked a lot of interest. What inspired this initiative?
**Minister Mu’ti**: Thank you for having me. This initiative was born from the recognition that our language and literature are not just cultural assets; they are pivotal in shaping the minds of our youth. We believe that by engaging with poets and literary figures, we can inspire our younger generations to dream and to grow intellectually.
**Interviewer**: You mentioned the influence of poets and literary figures on the youth. Can you elaborate on how you see their role in national development?
**Minister Mu’ti**: Absolutely. I believe that alongside economic growth, intellectual and cultural development is crucial for our nation’s progress. Great literary works can stimulate imagination and critical thinking. We want our young people to nourish their creativity and express themselves through literature, which in turn contributes to a more vibrant national identity.
**Interviewer**: Access to literature has been highlighted as a concern. Young writer Feby Indirani pointed out the issues surrounding book availability and costs. How does your ministry plan to tackle this challenge?
**Minister Mu’ti**: We are aware of the barriers to access that many face. One of our goals is to make literary works more accessible to the community. We plan to distribute books in public spaces, such as airports and terminals, to encourage reading. Additionally, I aim to work with publishers to lower costs and improve distribution, especially in rural areas.
**Interviewer**: It sounds like a noble endeavor. What are your hopes for the future of literature and literacy in Indonesia?
**Minister Mu’ti**: I envision a future where reading and writing are cherished activities among the youth. We want to foster a culture of literacy that leads to a flourishing civil society where individuals express themselves and engage critically with the world around them. This initiative is just the beginning of a long-term commitment to literary development.
**Interviewer**: That’s inspiring, Minister. Lastly, can you share how you plan to incorporate feedback from the event into government policy?
**Minister Mu’ti**: We consider the aspirations and insights gathered from this event crucial for our policy formulation. The ideas shared by literary figures will guide us in creating language education frameworks that not only enhance language proficiency but also respect and celebrate our rich literary heritage.
**Interviewer**: Thank you, Minister Mu’ti, for sharing your vision and plans. It’s clear that you are committed to invigorating the literary landscape in Indonesia.
**Minister Mu’ti**: Thank you for the opportunity to share our vision. Together, we can build a future where literature and language flourish in Indonesia.
