Chinese urged not to speak Chinese

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: The speaker of the provincial legislature, H.M. Arub, yesterday called on Indonesians of Chinese descent to use Bahasa Indonesia or the predominant ethnic language in the area for everyday use.

The statement came as Arub yesterday received a delegation of 25 students from Taman Siswa University.

The students pointed out that Chinese-Indonesians frequently used Chinese in public, a practice they claimed did not bode well for unity and the development of nationalism.

They pointed out that Article 36 of the 1945 Constitution specifically stipulated that the national language is Bahasa Indonesia.

The students also asserted their full support for an end to discriminatory practices, including policies which differentiated indigenous and nonindigenous peoples.

As reported by Antara, Arub concurred with the students, especially since they advocated an end to discrimination. He said the proposals would be forwarded to the governor.