Chinese-Indonesians ready for elections<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Chinese-Indonesians are ready to participate in this year's
\nlegislative and presidential elections after the New Order regime
\nshut them out for 32 years, a seminar concluded.<\/p>\n
Lee Cho Hui, the chief editor of the International Daily News,
\nsaid Chinese-Indonesians were not only prepared to vote but also
\nbecome actively involved in campaigning for certain political
\nparties.<\/p>\n
\"The political awareness of Chinese-Indonesians has been
\nincreasing,\" he said through an interpreter.<\/p>\n
Lee was referring to some Chinese-Indonesians who had been
\nnamed legislative candidates, either for the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR), provincial legislatures (DPRDs) or the
\nRegional Representatives Council (DPD).<\/p>\n
The International Daily News is a Jakarta newspaper that
\ncompiles news related to Chinese people from around the world.<\/p>\n
Lee presented his paper in Chinese before more than 700
\nparticipants at a seminar titled Ethnic Chinese and the 2004
\nelections held by the Chinese-Indonesian Organization (INTI) in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
On the sidelines of the seminar, a Chinese-Indonesian
\nparticipant told his friends proudly of his brother who became a
\ncampaign manager of a political party in North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Several other participants discussed the nomination of fellow
\nChinese-Indonesians in the legislative election.<\/p>\n
INTI chairman Eddie Lembong said Chinese-Indonesians, who
\naccount for 3 percent to 4 percent of Indonesia's population of
\n216 million, would play a significant role in the upcoming
\nelections.<\/p>\n
\"A single vote counts,\" he said, adding that voters would
\ndetermine the future of the country.<\/p>\n
However, Eddie called on Chinese-Indonesians not to vote along
\nethnic lines.<\/p>\n
\"If there are 100 Chinese-Indonesian candidates, should we
\nvote for them? I would say no. We should vote for the people best
\nable to serve the country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eddie suggested that the Chinese community take into account
\nparty platforms and track records as well candidates' integrity
\nand track records.<\/p>\n
\"If the Chinese-Indonesian candidate is a crook, don't vote
\nfor him,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In his keynote speech, economist-cum-activist Faisal H. Basri
\nsaid Chinese-Indonesians should vote for parties and
\nlegislative\/presidential candidates who would fight against
\ndiscrimination.<\/p>\n
\"I understand Chinese-Indonesians face state discrimination.
\nYou were exploited by political parties during the previous
\nelections. Now, make sure that you vote for the right president
\nwho can guarantee to put an end to the SBKRI,\" he said.<\/p>\n
SBKRI is a citizenship document required by Chinese-
\nIndonesians before they can be officially recognized as
\nIndonesian citizens. An SBKRI is needed before many other
\ndocuments can be processed, including passports, business
\nlicenses, credit applications and even applications for
\nuniversity enrollment.<\/p>\n
Indonesia banned anything related to Chinese culture in the
\ncountry following the aborted coup blamed on the Indonesian
\nCommunist Party, which then had ties with the Chinese communist
\nparty.<\/p>\n
Former president Abdurrahman Wahid revoked in 2000 the
\npresidential decree on SBKRI, but the government has until now
\nfailed to repeal its operational regulations.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chinese-indonesians-ready-for-elections-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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