Miss Indonesia's first plan is to learn Indonesian
JAKARTA: The newly crowned Miss Indonesia Kerenina Sunny Halim might have amazed people with her fluent English, but surprised just as many with her poor ability to speak Indonesian.
On the final night of the Miss Indonesia pageant last week, Kerenina needed a translator to help her understand the judges' questions. Kerenina admits this is a weakness but has promised to improve her Indonesian language skills.
"It's been hard for me *to speak Indonesian*, because I use English every day," says the half-American woman. "But I will learn. Indonesian is an easy language, as long as we're willing to learn."
Kerenina's brother, actor Steve Emmanuel (now Yusuf Iman), reveals that his sister was not exposed to Indonesian as a child because she didn't go to a formal school. "She was with homeschooling," Steve says. "She barely uses Indonesian at home, and doesn't go out often *so she can't practice Indonesian*."
The 23-year-old has also promised to learn more about the local culture in preparing for this year's Miss World competition in Johannesburg, South Africa. "Currently, I don't know much *about Indonesian culture*," says the girlfriend of actor Nino Fernandez. "But within six months, I'm going to learn about it all, because I represent Indonesia at the international level."
Kerenina, who holds six diplomas - in public relations; sales and marketing; primary school teaching; economics; performing arts; and music and art - won the competition over the two other finalists, Viviane (from Bali) and Melati Putri Kusuma Dewi (West Sulawesi). Kerenina impressed the judges with her fluent English, and was considered to meet the contest's criteria of MISS (Manners, Impressive, Smart and Social). - JP
Didot (not verified) — Fri, 06/12/2009 - 1:25pm
"But I will learn. Indonesian is an easy language, as long as we're willing to learn."
For 23 years, where is your will? Is it too easy to learn bahasa that you have to wait until you were crowned as Miss Indonesia.
Daryl Roe (not verified) — Fri, 06/12/2009 - 11:38am
A beautiful young lady no doubt, however her brother stated that she does not go out!!! She has an excellent education, was this all from home schooling? Anyway, good luck to her and I am sure she will make a fine ambassador. By the way, as a westerner, I love brown skin!!! Cant understand myself why Indonesian girls want to be like their western sisters.
Julie (not verified) — Fri, 06/12/2009 - 9:21am
????? How can the judges choose her?
Why the judges do not choose the candidates who fluent in bahasa?
I think it would be better if judges not choose her (kerenina).What will she does next time to introduce Indonesia in the world if she do not understand about Indonesia at all.
Bismarck11 — Fri, 06/12/2009 - 8:27am
First I thought this article was from www.onion.com. The writer who wrote did not realize how Kafkaesque this article is, the style seems disinterested which is the reason why its so funny.
"Kerenina's brother, actor Steve Emmanuel (now Yusuf Iman), reveals that his sister was not exposed to Indonesian as a child because she didn't go to a formal school. "She was with homeschooling," Steve says. "She barely uses Indonesian at home, and doesn't go out often *so she can't practice Indonesian*.""
Then in the last paragraph
"Kerenina impressed the judges with her fluent English, and was considered to meet the contest's criteria of MISS (Manners, Impressive, Smart and Social)."
She was born in Jakarta and spent nearly all her life here. Most expat kids who were born or came here from a young age speak Indonesian. How can she not pick it up when one of her parents was Indonesian?
Home schooling. Hmm, it seems more like abuse to me. If it was in the West, she would have been taken from her parents.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/06/09/miss-indonesia039s-first-plan-learn-indonesian.html
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