Freddy, Caroline elected as `Koko' and `Cici' 2003<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Freddy Sue and Caroline Widjanarko were elected Koko and Cici
\nJakarta 2003 during a pageant here on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Along with Freddy and Caroline, 15 other pairs of Chinese-
\nIndonesian youths between the ages of 18 and 25 took part in the
\nKoko and Cici Jakarta pageant at the Hotel Batavia.<\/p>\n
Spokesman Anda Hakim said this was the second time the pageant
\nhad been held, the first being last year. \"Koko\" in Mandarin
\nmeans elder brother, while \"cici\" means elder sister.<\/p>\n
Anda said the pageant cost more than Rp 200 million
\n(US$22,200) to stage. He said the pageant was started to improve
\nthe image of the Chinese-Indonesian community and to promote
\ninterethnic relationships.<\/p>\n
Anda, who is also the chairman of the Indonesian Chinese
\nMuslim Association, said the pageant finalists would serve as
\ntourism ambassadors for the city.<\/p>\n
The head of the panel of judges at the pageant, Syamsul Arfan
\nAkilie from the West Jakarta municipality, told The Jakarta Post
\nthat it was hoped the pageant would encourage ethnic Chinese to
\nthink of themselves as part of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"More participation by Chinese-Indonesians in many sectors of
\nthe country's life is expected. And they should think of
\nthemselves as Indonesians, not as Chinese.<\/p>\n
\"It is also expected that other ethnic groups will open the
\nChinese-Indonesian community with open arms, and vice versa,\"
\nSyamsul said.<\/p>\n
\"As Koko Jakarta 2003, I want to show people that Indonesia is
\na democratic country. And I want to say that Jakarta, as a
\nmultiethnic city, should experience no more racial strife between
\nthe different ethnic groups,\" said Freddy Sue.<\/p>\n
The runner-up Cici, F. Jessy Darmawan, 20, a law student at
\nthe University of Indonesia, told the Post that as an Indonesian
\ncitizen she wanted to help the country's tourist industry, which
\nhas suffered since last year's Bali bombings.<\/p>\n
One Koko contestant, Sarjono, a finance management student at
\nTarumanegara University in West Jakarta, told the Post that he
\nhoped Indonesian could foster interethnic relationships like they
\nhave in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\"There are many ethnic groups in Malaysia, but they live in
\npeace. I believe we can also have that here as well,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarjono's grandparents came from Singapore and he speaks
\nfluent Mandarin. \"My family communicates in Mandarin every day,
\nand we still celebrate the Chinese traditional days.\"<\/p>\n
Speaking fluent in Mandarin was an advantage in the pageant,
\nbut was not a requirement.<\/p>\n
Cici Jakarta 2003 winner Caroline, whose bears a bit of a
\nresemblance to actress Agnes Monica, said she rarely spoke
\nMandarin at home.<\/p>\n
\"But I am familiar with it since I work for Radio Cakrawala,
\nwhich required me to be fluent in Mandarin,\" Caroline said.<\/p>\n
Radio Cakrawala is a Mandarin-language radio station in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Dian Wulan Paramita SM, who is studying public relations at
\nGlobal Reach in Bogor, West Java, said she could not speak
\nMandarin.<\/p>\n
\"We mostly use English at home. Even my grandparents no longer
\nspeak Mandarin,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Wulan also said she had friends from many different ethnic
\ngroups. \"I never feel like someone from a minority ethnic group.
\nWe all just mingle together.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/freddy-caroline-elected-as-koko-and-cici-2003-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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