Samarinda, 1 March 2023 — Regional Office for Language in East Kalimantan Province Held the Coordination Meeting of Regional Language Revitalization with Commission X DPR RI and Working Partners in East Kalimantan Province on Wednesday, 1 March 2023 at Ruhui Rahayu Room, Office of the Governor of East Kalimantan Province. It was one of a series of programs of Merdeka Belajar episode 17: Regional Language Revitalization which was launched by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.
It aimed to increase the vitality of regional languages by the central government via the Regional Office for Language in East Kalimantan Province. In 2023, three regional languages in East Kalimantan will be revitalized, namely Kenyah, Kutai Malay, and Paser as well as Bulungan in the North Kalimantan Province. The targeted areas include Paser, North Penajam Paser, Balikpapan, Samarinda, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kutai, West Kutai, and Mahakam Ulu Regencies for the East Kalimantan Province. Meanwhile, in North Kalimantan Province, Bulungan was the targeted language.
Diddy Rusdiansyah, Expert Staff of Division II, Bureaucratic Reform and Regional Finance of the Regional Secretariat of East Kalimantan Province, officially opened the Coordination Meeting. Five speakers were presented, namely Hetifah Syaifudian (Commission X DPR RI), Imam Budi Utomo (Head of Center for Development and Preservation of Language and Literature), Molly Prabawaty (Assistant Deputy for Literacy, Innovation, and Creativity in Kemenko PMK), Jazziray Hartoyo (Assistant Deputy for the Promotion and Preservation of Culture in Kemenko PMK), Alimuddin (Deputy for Social, Culture, and Community Empowerment in IKN Authority), Muhammad Yunus Syam (Head of Education and Culture Agency represented the Regent of Paser).
In the 1st session, Halimi Hadibrata invited Hetifah Syaifudian to present the Regional Languages Preservation Urgency in East Kalimantan and the Regional Government Role in the Revitalization of Regional Language. Also, Imam Budi Utomo was invited to explain the Implementation of the Regional Language Preservation Program in Indonesia: Revitalization of Regional Languages.
In the 2nd session, Ali Kusno let Molly Prabawati and Jazziray Hartoyo spoke on the Central Government Support the revitalization of regional languages in East Kalimantan as a buffer city for the IKN. Furthermore, Alimuddin said the Regional Language Preservation Dynamic in the buffer cities of IKN. Next, Muhammad Yunus Syam talked about the Best Practices for the Preservation of the Paser Language in the Paser Regency.
The coordination meeting ran well and smoothly as well as many responses and support were given by the participants. A hundred participants joined the coordination meeting. They came from various agencies or institutions. They were partners in the implementation of Regional Language Revitalization, such as the regional government, regency government, education and culture agencies, DPRD, indigenous community institutions, universities, technical implementation unit of Kemendikbudristek, and mass media.
In the end, recommendations were compiled to be a reference for the parties to succeed in the revitalization of the regional language. One of the recommendation points stated regional regulations as a legal basis for local content implementation are needed. Meanwhile, a special committee to discuss the regional regulations plan on the Prioritization of the Indonesian Language and the Preservation of Regional Language and Literature has been formed by the Legislative Council (DPRD) and chaired by Veridiana Huraq Wang who also participated in the coordination meeting.
The results of the meeting were the recommendations as a commitment to succeed the 2023 Regional Language Revitalization in the East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan Province. Furthermore, the Head of the Center for Language Development and Preservation of Language and Literature, Drs. Imam Budi Utomo, M.Hum. officially closed the coordination meeting. ”We hope that the revitalization of regional languages in East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan as a shared responsibility and we must synergize and associate each other. It is hoped that regional languages in East Kalimantan can be well revitalized so that the young generation will have a positive attitude towards their regional languages,” he said.
Let’s keep preserving regional languages. Don’t let it extinct.
Translated by Muhammad Erwin Darma