Bontang, August 4, 2026 – To improve the quality of Indonesian language usage in official correspondence and government documents, the Regional Language Center in East Kalimantan, in collaboration with the Bontang City Government, has launched the Indonesian Language Proficiency Improvement Program (PKBI) for Bontang City Government employees. The program began with an in-person session on Thursday, July 30, 2026, followed by an online session for in-depth material review on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, and will continue with two months of intensive mentoring.
The PKBI program was officially opened by H. Lukman, S.S., M.Si., Expert Staff for Community Development and Human Resources of the Bontang City Government, representing the Mayor of Bontang. The program serves as a follow-up to and concrete implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, and the Bontang City Government on the Language and Literature Development, Cultivation, and Preservation. In his remarks, H. Lukman expressed strong appreciation for the collaborative initiative, which aims to foster administrative order and accountability in official documentation across the Bontang City bureaucracy.
Asep Juanda, S.Ag., M.Hum., Head of Regional Language Center in East Kalimantan, commended the Bontang City Government for its full commitment to providing facilities and coordinating participants. He emphasized that the PKBI is not merely a standard training course but an effort to cultivate Language Center Partner cadres within each agency—individuals prepared to take an active role in disseminating knowledge and coordinating document improvements in their respective work units. Asep Juanda also expressed hope that the Bontang City Government would independently replicate similar activities to reach a broader range of employees involved in institutional document preparation.
Fifty representatives from various sectors, such as the Regional Secretariat, Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD), Regional Public Hospitals (RSUD), Community Health Centers (Puskesmas), and district and sub-district/village administrations in Bontang City attended the full program. Participants received comprehensive instruction on the EYD V, word formation and diction, and the construction of effective sentences and paragraphs. The material was delivered interactively by a team from the Regional Language Center in East Kalimantan comprising Abd. Rahman and Dwi Haryanto. In addition, all participants will take the Indonesian Language Proficiency Test (UKBI) and receive a certificate of participation.
The fifty participants demonstrated considerable enthusiasm as they analyzed draft official documents and consulted directly on proper language standards. Ali Kusno, Widyabasa at the Regional Language Center in East Kalimantan and chair of the event’s organizing committee, praised the participants’ active engagement in discussions. This interactive learning process is expected to facilitate the consistent and sustainable refinement of official documents across Bontang City government institutions. (ak)
Translated by Muhammad Erwin Darma