The program is expected to launch next year as many of the country's 718 regional languages are endangered, with five already declared extinct, Head of the ministry's Language Agency Hafidz Muksin said.
"We must not allow a language to die with its last speaker and be lost to future generations," he said during a dialogue with literary communities in Kampar, Riau Province, on Friday.
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The proposed aid aims to recognize the work of activists preserving linguistic diversity, despite recent budget cuts that reduced government assistance for literacy communities, Muksin said.
This year, only 100 literacy communities received support of 50 million rupiah (around USD3,088) each. Last year, the number of recipients was recorded at 340.
However, long-serving writers and literacy groups still receive targeted assistance, with support of up to 100 million rupiah.
"The assistance is expected to create real impact and benefit the community," he added.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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