Why Speaking Indonesian is Mandatory at Official Parliament Sessions – Commission VII Hearing Meeting Recap

Jakarta –

There was an unusual moment at the Hearing Meeting (RDP) between Commission VII of the DPR and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Industry and smelter entrepreneurs. Deputy Chairman of Commission VII Eddy Soeparno reprimanded smelter entrepreneurs for not speaking Indonesian.

Initially, Eddy, as the leader of the meeting, asked the smelter entrepreneurs to introduce themselves. Until finally it was PT Obsidian Stainless Steel’s boss to introduce himself.

From the start, the director of Obsidian Stainless Steel admitted that he could not speak Indonesian. He expressed this in English.

Eddy then asked if the smelter boss had an interpreter. Later, the smelter boss said the translator was on the second floor. Eddy then reprimanded the smelter boss.

“This is an official parliament session, and all parliamentary sessions are conducted in Indonesian. That is the rule,” said Eddy in English at Commission VII, Jakarta, Thursday (8/6/2023).

Meanwhile, member of Commission VII of the PKS Fraction, Mulyanto, expressed his annoyance because a smelter entrepreneur was not present at the meeting.

“The leader’s permission must be firm, we are the leaders, if this continues to bother us, our morale will fall, sir, harassed, those invited don’t want to attend, it’s not clear, we have to be firm, sir,” he said.

(acd/rrd)