Assimilation of ethnic Chinese

Assimilation of ethnic Chinese

One of our new cabinet's tasks is "to strengthen national
unity". This involves, among others, improving relations between
ethnic Chinese Indonesians and their indigenous compatriots,
which is better known as "assimilation of ethnic Chinese in
Indonesia". In view of the above cabinet's important task, I
would like to make the following suggestions.

As regards to Indonesians of Chinese descent, numerous
misunderstandings exist; for instance, they are still oriented to
China, culturally as well as politically. Due to the assimilation
policy of our government, the majority of those six million
ethnic Chinese nowadays do not speak Chinese anymore. In daily
life, most of them speak Bahasa Indonesia or an Indonesian
dialect. This is not the case in Malaysia, where they in general
cannot speak the national language Bahasa Malaysia.

Indonesia should, therefore, be proud of its success in this
matter. Furthermore, the notion that all are very rich and
economic animals, is not true. Most of them are ordinary people
living from their jobs as professionals, managers, lawyers,
doctors, small businesspeople or employees. These people do not
enjoy any special facilities whatsoever.

Do not forget that there are also "good Indonesians of Chinese
ethnicity" like Prof. Dr. S. Gautama, Dr. Mely G. Tan, Dr. Lie
Tek Tjeng, Dr. Utama Wijaya, Kwik Kian Gie, Prof. Dr.
Satyanegara, Susi Susanti, Verawaty, Ateng, and many others. They
are not involved in any monkey business.

Let us hope that the new cabinet keeps the above in mind when
looking for a smooth solution of our Chinese problem.

H. JUNUS JAHJA

Director Institute for Studies

on Ethnic Chinese Assimilation

in Indonesia

Jakarta