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Obama speaks Indonesian, wishes to return to Menteng
US President Barack Obama uttered a few words of Indonesian on Thursday, decades after living in the country as a boy, during a visit to the State Department in Washington, and expressed his wish to revisit his old neighborhood in Menteng, Jakarta
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US President Barack Obama uttered a few words of Indonesian on Thursday, decades after living in the country as a boy, during a visit to the State Department in Washington, and expressed his wish to revisit his old neighborhood in Menteng, Jakarta. After making his formal address to the department, Obama exchanged a few words in Indonesian with former Jakarta US Embassy counselor for public affairs Charles Silver.
Silver greeted the President, saying "Selamat Siang, Bapak (Good afternoon, sir)," to which Obama replied, "Terima kasih, apa kabar? (Thank you, how are you?) Silver answered "Baik, baik (Fine)".
The American President complimented Silver on his Indonesian accent, adding that he wished to visit his old neighborhood in Menteng, Jakarta.
U.S. Embassy Assistant press attache Stafford A. Ward said, while he would like the American President to visit Jakarta, it was too early to speculate if and when Obama would come.
Ward also said Obama saw Indonesia as a partner in solving the global financial crisis.
"As senator Clinton (Hillary Clinton) said in her senate confirmation testimony, she looked to Indonesia as a global partner in solving the financial crisis . I would assume Barack Obama would have the same feeling," Ward said.
Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah said Obama would likely concentrate on domestic issues for the time being, adding that he did not foresee a visit in the immediate future.
"But, if there is an opportunity for him to come to our region then we would be happy to welcome him in Indonesia," Teuku said.
"His being able to speak Indonesian would receive a warm reception from the Indonesian community because it means that he can associate with the people directly and this will certainly make the people open their hearts and welcome him."
President Obama lived in Indonesian capital with his mother Stanley Ann Dunham and stepfather Lolo Soetoro from 1967 to 1971 where he attended a primary school in Jakarta.
