Batik compulsory for students, civil servants

JAKARTA: Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said Tuesday he would issue a ruling for students and civil servants to wear batik once a week.

He said he would send a letter to National Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo and Home Minister Mardiyanto so they could recommend that students and civil servants wear the national dress weekly.

"This ruling could be the last of my term," he told kompas.com.

Aburizal said he would also ask the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) to suggest that private-sector employees wear batik once a month.

"This will make batik more popular," he said. - JP