Activist donates all salary to the poor<\/p>\n
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung<\/p>\n
The winds of change in the reform era has led to the
\nestablishment of branches in Bandarlampung of Chinese-Indonesian
\nsocial and political organizations headquartered in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
One of these, the Chinese-Indonesian Social Association
\n(PSMTI), for example, has frequently organized cultural events
\nlike lion dances or \"Miss and Mister\" (Abang and None)\" contests
\nfor local Chinese-Indonesians.<\/p>\n
Many Chinese-Indonesians in Bandarlampung are actively
\ninvolved in an interfaith, multiethnic and intercultural
\norganization, the Social Forum for Close Relationships Between
\nReligious Communities in Bandarlampung (Faskaubal).<\/p>\n
Local Chinese-Indonesians are active not only in social and
\ncultural affairs but also in the political arena. Yuliani Wijaya,
\n(born Wong Li Mei), for example, was a member of Bandarlampung
\nLegislative Council from 1999 to 2004.<\/p>\n
Two local Chinese-Indonesians have made it to the municipal
\ncouncil for the 2004 to 2009 period. They are Effendi Taslim
\n(Kwang Hui) and Mungliana, representing the Freedom Bull National
\nParty (PNBK) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) respectively.<\/p>\n
Taslim, inaugurated as a legislator along with 44 others on
\nAugust 18, 2004, said that his involvement in politics was due to
\nhis search for a balance in life. A successful businessman,
\nTaslim, affectionately called Kangkang, said he pursued politics
\nto give him a more balanced life.<\/p>\n
He said at one point in life a person would feel he had gained
\neverything possible in a particular area and would need something
\nelse to seek equilibrium.<\/p>\n
\"When we get to this saturation point, we do not know where
\nelse to go. In my case, I need balance. I want to be more useful
\nto the community through politics,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that he was not involved in politics to pursue a
\nparticular position or accumulate wealth. Through politics, he
\nsaid, he would be able to learn more about social problems and
\nhelp solve them.<\/p>\n
When he first decided to join a political party and then ran
\nfor election as a legislator, he made up his mind not to earn a
\nliving from his position as a legislator. He said his mission was
\nto improve the image of the legislative assembly.<\/p>\n
The public, he said, generally had an unfavorable opinion
\nabout the institution. In this respect, he vowed, when
\ncampaigning, that he would donate his salary as a legislator to
\nthe poor.<\/p>\n
He has kept his word. He received his first salary as a
\nlegislator in September this year. Taslim used his entire salary
\n-- Rp 4.5 million -- to purchase basic necessities and
\nanonymously distributed them to 350 families in Lingkungan III,
\nDurianpayung subdistrict, Central Tanjungkarang.<\/p>\n
But when he distributed the basic goods, which he had bought
\nwith his second month's salary on Oct. 13, to 400 families in Jl.
\nJati and Sukajawa subdistrict, some reporters got wind of this
\nand immediately the news spread far and wide.<\/p>\n
Though realizing what he had done was just like throwing salt
\ninto the sea, he reiterated that he would always be true to his
\npromise to donate his salary to the poor, even if later his
\nsalary were raised.<\/p>\n
He added that Kencana Sukma, chairman of PSMTI's Bandarlampung
\nchapter, even asked him to help repair the public's unfavorable
\nopinion of the legislative council and maintain the integrity of
\nChinese-Indonesians.<\/p>\n
He expressed optimism that with the other members of the
\nlegislative council, who are mostly in their thirties and
\nforties, he would be able to succeed in this mission.<\/p>\n
Kangkang also said that he would never get involved in
\ngovernment contracts. His business activities -- transportation,
\nfreight forwarding, trading and property -- do not generally
\nhave much to do with government projects.<\/p>\n
As Kangkang has mixed with non-Chinese locals nearly all his
\nlife, his election as a legislator from West Tanjungkarang
\ndistrict, an area where there are only a few Chinese-Indonesians,
\nhas not come as a surprise.<\/p>\n
Born and bred in Kampung Tengsen, Sinar Banten village, Durian
\nPayung subdistrict, Kangkang chose to live there after his
\nmarriage. \"I come from the village and mixed with people from
\nother ethnic groups -- people from Lampung, Java, Banten, Batak
\npeople, Sundanese, Minang and many others -- you name it,\" said
\nKangkang, now a father of four.<\/p>\n
As he is close to the village locals, he is proud to be called
\nKangkang, a name that emerged because locals found it difficult
\nto pronounce his Chinese name, Kwang Hui.<\/p>\n
Kangkang realizes it is not easy to push fellow Chinese-
\nIndonesians to integrate with non-Chinese locals. Many Chinese-
\nIndonesians consider him rather reckless, living in a depressed
\narea prone to conflict.<\/p>\n
It takes time to convince Chinese-Indonesians that
\nassimilation is very important for them, he said. \"We can't, for
\nexample, ask Chinese-Indonesians to abandon their luxury homes.<\/p>\n
\"For over 32 years the Chinese in Indonesia were segregated.
\nWe can persuade them only gradually to take part in social
\nactivities or establish social foundations.\"<\/p>\n
Kangkang pins his hopes on younger Chinese-Indonesians. If
\nthey participate in a variety of activities in society, there
\nwill be interethnic openness that will eventually lead to
\nchanges.<\/p>\n
\"With regard to reform, many Chinese-Indonesians simply adopt
\na wait-and-see attitude. Some even believe it is too early to
\nhave a Chinese-Indonesian legislator.\"<\/p>\n
As a Chinese-Indonesian, Kangkang, however, considers himself
\nthe representative of the people of Bandarlampung.<\/p>\n
\"I will work in the interests of all Bandarlampung people,
\nalthough in some cases I will pursue matters related to the
\ninterests of Chinese-Indonesians, for example the Indonesian
\ncitizen certificate.<\/p>\n
Although the government has revoked the law that requires
\nChinese-Indonesians to possess this certificate, many officials
\nstill abuse it to extort money from Chinese-Indonesians.<\/p>\n
\"This is one of the reasons why democracy has not proceeded
\nproperly. Things like this need to be disseminated. I even had to
\nproduce this certificate when I applied for a passport,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In his opinion, the public perception of Chinese-Indonesians
\nis an important factor in the assimilation of Chinese-
\nIndonesians. If they were not discriminated against, Chinese-
\nIndonesians would not migrate aboard.<\/p>\n
\"Why should we move overseas? We were born and bred here. We
\nhave a family and earn a living here. We respect the land where
\nwe live,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He believes that to ensure assimilation is successful, all
\nmeans -- political, economic, cultural, and others -- have to be
\npursued.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, he said, the process has to start from the
\ntop and should not be orchestrated, as happened during the New
\nOrder era.<\/p>",
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