Minister Hopes Indonesian Become Official Asean Language

Jakarta, Oct 28 (Antara) - Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan has expressed his hope that the Indonesian language would become the official language of ASEAN. "We hope the Indonesian language can be recognized in the 21st century by the world, and the Indonesian nation will be able to influence the world`s geopolitical map," Wirjawan said during a seminar on "The Political Economy of Indonesian Language and Identity of the Nation." The minister also said that he hoped the Indonesian language might be officially recognized by the United Nations, although Indonesia is not a permanent member of the UN Security Council. "I hope Indonesia will become a dynamic nation, and the national language, Bahasa Indonesia, will continue to develop, in terms of grammar, vocabulary, and style," he said. According to the minister, Indonesia has a great contribution to make in Bahasa Indonesia becoming an international language. Although the minister hopes that Bahasa Indonesia becomes the official ASEAN language, he also encouraged Indonesian people to master other foreign languages, particularly English, with a commitment to continue using the Indonesian language correctly.