Chinese urged not to speak Chinese

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.