Ban eased on Chinese literature<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government yesterday slightly eased the ban
\nagainst the use of Chinese literature and teaching of the Chinese
\nlanguage, the legacy of the anti-Chinese sentiments of the 1960s.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister of Political Affairs and Security
\nSoesilo Soedarman announced yesterday that hotels and recreation
\ncenters can publish brochures and programs in Chinese for the
\nbenefit of their Chinese patrons.<\/p>\n
The government expects the new policy to draw more trade and
\ntourism from mainland China.<\/p>\n
\"The policy was made in anticipation of the increasing
\narrivals of Chinese-speaking tourists,\" Soesilo told reporters
\nafter presiding over a meeting of cabinet ministers under his
\ncharge.<\/p>\n
Although Indonesia re-established ties with China in 1990
\nafter a 23-year hiatus, the government has continued to ban the
\nuse of Chinese characters in any publications, whether locally
\nprinted or imported. At one time, the use of Chinese characters
\nwas even considered subversive.<\/p>\n
The only exception was given to Harian Indonesia, a
\ngovernment-owned newspaper, which uses Chinese characters.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said hotels and entertainment places are now being
\nencouraged to subscribe to the daily for the benefit of their
\nChinese guests.<\/p>\n
Hotels and travel bureaus are now allowed to print brochures
\nin Chinese to advertise their facilities and tourist attractions
\nas well as package tours, but they will still be subject to
\nofficial scrutiny, Soesilo said.<\/p>\n
\"All the materials have to be printed in the publishing houses
\ndesignated by the government and copies must be made available to
\nthe government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Juanda Airport<\/p>\n
The government is also relaxing slightly the ban against the
\nteaching of the Chinese language. Such courses will be strictly
\nlimited to people working in the tourism industry.<\/p>\n
Courses on functional Mandarin are now available for tourist
\nguides, hotel employees, shopkeepers and travel bureau operators,
\nSoesilo said.<\/p>\n
Artists, masters of ceremony and employees of hotels and
\nentertainment places are free to organize programs in the Chinese
\nlanguage as a media of communication with their guests.<\/p>\n
Another measure taken to court more Chinese tourists is the
\nopening of Juanda Airport in Surabaya, East Java, as the third
\nimmigration entry point for Chinese tourists. Previously, they
\ncould enter only through Jakarta and Medan.<\/p>\n
The ban against the use of Chinese characters in publication
\nmaterials and against the teaching of the Chinese language came
\nin the wake of the 1965 coup attempt blamed on the Indonesian
\nCommunist Party (PKI), which was subsequently outlawed.<\/p>\n
Indonesia severed diplomatic ties with China two years later,
\naccusing Beijing of playing a role in the coup attempt. Ties were
\nrestored in 1990 and the two countries have since bolstered their
\ntrade and investment relationships.<\/p>\n
But elements of the anti-Chinese legacy remains to this day.<\/p>\n
Soesilo said the new policy was not in conflict with the old
\nregulations but declined to go into detail.<\/p>\n
Control<\/p>\n
Soesilo said the meeting yesterday also agreed to step up
\ncontrol of forestry management because of concern over the rapid
\nloss of tropical forests due to logging activities.<\/p>\n
Among the actions that the government will take to preserve
\n143 million hectares of forests across the country are the
\nimposition of more severe punishments for law breakers, the
\nholding of tree-planting campaigns in villages, the establishment
\nof timber ports and the imposition of stricter rules on the use
\nof chain saws.<\/p>\n
\"Timber will be maintained as a prime commodity but the policy
\nwill be balanced with better forestry and industrial management,\"
\nSoesilo said.<\/p>\n
He said the government plans to recruit 5,000 forest rangers
\neach fiscal year from now because the existing 6,500 rangers are
\nfar from adequate.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's meeting also endorsed the formation of local coast
\nguard units to secure marine resources as proposed by the State
\nMinister of Environment, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.<\/p>\n
The guard units are to be formed out of concern over the
\ndeteriorating conditions of marine resources, notably coral reefs
\nand mangroves, as well as the problem of sea pollution. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ban-eased-on-chinese-literature-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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