Are Muslims underrepresented?

Harry Bhaskara, The Jakarta Post, Semarang

Now that the one-week of Zheng He celebrations here is over, some introspection is called for. Among the topics discussed informally among some participants was the perceived lack of representation of Muslims during the celebration.

In the city proper, signs that a big celebration was going on were mute. Some big billboards were placed along main thoroughfares and some Chinese lanterns at the airport and some hotels but nothing more. There was almost a totally absence of any kind of Muslim symbols.

Otherwise, life went on as usual. The Sam Poo Kong and the Tay Kak Sie temples were the only places where the festive mood was really present.

Economist Bob Widyahartono who came from Jakarta resented this fact and thought that Muslims' involvement in the celebration was only superficial.

"This is sad because Zheng He was a Muslim," he said referring to the Chinese admiral whose first voyage in 1405 to Asia and Africa was the center of the celebration.

Adhy Trisnanto from the Chinese-Indonesian Association echoed Bob's view when he said in a discussion at a book launching here on Saturday that the Muslim identity of Zheng He was underplayed.

But some did not agree. Agus Rahardjo, head of tourism promotion at Semarang Tourism Office, said that every element in the community was well-represented.

"The very opening of the celebration was conducted by the UIN Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University. It was beautifully done, everybody took part in the celebration," he says. Nuhin, a student at UIN agreed with Agus.

"It depends on what group of Islam you are talking about," says Nuhin, "as far as my group is concerned, we are taking part in a lot of events in the celebration"

He cited the opening of the celebration, a play performed by UIN students and poetry readings. An Islamic a Capella (nasyid) and Islamic dance competition was also on the program.

"Maybe it is true that other Islamic groups think they were not involved," Nuhin says when asked if he knew of other groups who thought they were left out.

In fact, the organizer had offered traditional art performances like Balinese dances, Javanese shadow puppet and Petruk Gareng traditional comedy.

Historian Gan Kok Hwie who is a long-term resident of Semarang, said that it was natural that there were some shortcomings in the event.

"That the event itself could be held, is something extraordinary. It is only possible after the reform era," he said, referring to the popular movement that toppled former president Soeharto in 1998.