MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, BANDUNG — The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education of Indonesia Abdul Mu’ti highlighted the unique strength of Indonesia’s linguistic diversity. He emphasized that linguistic richness of Indonesia shows its unity.
“Indonesia, with its 17,000 islands and 718 local languages, is able to unite as one nation. This is a miracle,” said Mu’ti at the Muhammadiyah anniversary celebration conducted by the Muhammadiyah Regency Board of Bandung, on Wednesday, November 20.
The minister contrasted Indonesia’s unity in diversity with other nations that have been divided by their internal differences.
“Belgium, for instance, is a small country but is federal because its ethnic groups refuse to assimilate. We, with 718 local languages, have managed to make Indonesian the language of unity without abandoning our local identities,” he explained.
Mu’ti, himself a learner of the Sundanese language, encouraged the audience to embrace the diversity of languages in Indonesia.
“I’ve started learning Sundanese. ‘Sawangsulna, pangestu damang’ (Wishing you well, may you always be in good health.). I don’t understand much beyond that, but I’m not ashamed to try. This is a strength that other countries don’t have,” he said humorously.
Besides, Mu’ti’s speech also touched on the importance of justice, prosperity, and education. He emphasized the need for constructive criticism to address the nation’s challenges and highlighted the crucial role of education in achieving these goals.
Mu’ti expressed his admiration for Muhammadiyah contributions to the education sector.
“More than 1.5 million students are enrolled in Muhammadiyah schools as of the 2024-2025 academic year,” he stated. He shows the example of Muhammadiyah Institution of Antapani which has the quality of Muhammadiyah educational institutions.
Mu’ti also acknowledged Muhammadiyah significant role in the healthcare sector.
“Muhammadiyah currently operates 112 hospitals and numerous clinics. In Kendal, the Muhammadiyah Regency Board of Kendal has five hospitals, while the government has only one. This demonstrates Muhammadiyah self-reliance,” he added.
In conclusion, Mu’ti delivered an inspiring message about the importance of self-reliance and active participation in addressing the nation’s challenges.
“This self-reliance makes Muhammadiyah an inspiration to many other movements. All of this is supported by the spirit of our members,” said Mu’ti.
