Narrow-minded attitude<\/p>\n
Any doubts I previously harbored regarding the source of
\nracial bigotry were certainly brought to light in the July 30
\narticle published by The Jakarta Post and penned by Mr. Masli
\nArman.<\/p>\n
I was born in Indonesia in 1947 to poor immigrants of Chinese
\nethnicity who lived in Sumatra prior to the forming of this great
\nnation. I would at this time like to remind Mr. Arman that prior
\nto Aug. 17, 1945, Indonesia as a nation did not exist. I have
\nbeen Indonesian for 51 years. Some, at most, have been Indonesian
\nfor two years more than I. I have lived here all my life. I went
\nto local schools and was raised with my classmates. I learned to
\nspeak languages by becoming a tour guide and escorting visitors
\nthrough the scenic marvels of North Sumatra. Our family was never
\nin a position to offer anything more than a roof over my head, a
\nmat to sleep on and a meal at the end of the day.<\/p>\n
It is with great indignity that I read comments by the likes
\nof Mr. Arman and accept his twisted view of reality. This
\n\"racially derived arrogant attitude and superiority complex\" that
\nMr. Arman refers to was perhaps conjured one morning while
\nlooking in the mirror. How can someone who abandons his country
\nto seek education elsewhere, then takes that education and
\napplies it not here, but in several countries, begin to even
\nsuggest that he shares the social values of the nation he claims
\nto be an indigenous person of.<\/p>\n
By his own admission, \"Since obtaining my undergraduate and
\npost graduate degrees from an Australian university in the 1950s,
\nI worked until recently for a number of large mining and oil
\ncompanies in several countries\" he felt himself better than his
\nnation of birth could provide. Where have you been the past 40
\nyears Mr. Arman? And furthermore, where, in the formative years
\nof this nation, did anybody receive the funds to afford overseas
\neducation for their children? Perhaps what we have here is the
\nroot source of the corruption, collusion and nepotism that has
\ncaused such great harm to the social, political and economic
\nfabric of our nation.<\/p>\n
What I read here is a classic case of someone looking for a
\nscapegoat. By his own estimates, 30 percent of the ethnic Chinese
\n\"are either indifferent to or reject the idea of assimilation\".
\nThat's 30 percent of six million or 1.8 million people, less than
\n1 percent of the nation's total. This sounds more to me like
\nchronic paranoia if Mr. Arman can place the cause of social
\nunrest on that sector of the population. What was he studying in
\nAustralia?<\/p>\n
I would like to remind Mr. Arman that with the exception of
\nthe Orang Asli (the indigenous) we are all immigrants. If there
\nis assimilation or greater sensitivity that needs to be
\ndemonstrated by anyone, why not start with yourself. Where else
\nin the civilized world are people labeled as second-class
\ncitizens at birth, not because of the country they are born in,
\nbut simply because of their ancestors' origins? Or perhaps in Mr.
\nArman's near lifetime absence from Indonesia he is unaware that
\nchildren of ethnic Chinese receive identity cards beginning with
\nthe number 2, subject to discrimination for the rest of their
\nlives.<\/p>\n
I certainly hope, Mr. Arman, that these views you so boldly
\npublicize are yours and yours alone and not coming from the
\nwould-be leader of the Indonesian Neo Nazi party. If I may quote
\nyou one more time, \"As for the minority who may still persist in
\nrefusing to assimilate and continue with their superior attitude,
\nI would suggest that they relinquish their Indonesian citizenship
\nand live elsewhere,\" might I suggest Mr. Arman, that you
\nrelinquish your Indonesian citizenship, take your narrow-minded,
\nchauvinistic, bigoted superior attitude and go back to Australia.
\nI hear Pauline Hanson is looking for supporters.<\/p>\n
ANDREAS F. LIMIN<\/p>\n
Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/narrow-minded-attitude-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }