'Making Chinese New Year a holiday is good step'

'Making Chinese New Year a holiday is good step'

The celebration on Thursday of the Chinese New Year, known here
as Imlek, was a peaceful and joyous event. This was the second
year the celebration has taken place since the government
declared Imlek a national holiday in 2002. However, The Jakarta
Post spoke with several people who said Chinese-Indonesians still
have some way to go before they are fully accepted here.

Dewi Bastina, 24, works as a reporter at a radio station in
Central Jakarta. She is a native Indonesian and lives with her
parents in Pondok Kopi, East Jakarta:

It's good to have Imlek celebrated as a national holiday
because it could help fight discrimination against the Chinese.

Yet, I cannot help but think that the openly celebrated Imlek
is just a formality, as there's still discrimination against the
Chinese.

If you are Chinese and you want to get an identity card or a
passport, you have to submit an Indonesian citizenship
certificate. Native Indonesians don't have to do that.

This huge wall standing between the Chinese and native
Indonesians divides them into two different sides, leaving them
still prejudiced toward each other.

We need efforts from all layers of society to appreciate other
ethnic groups. It's diversity that makes this world wonderful.

Lanny Winata, 35, is Chinese-Indonesian and works as a manager
in Central Jakarta. She lives with her parents in Kota, West
Jakarta:

Making Imlek a national holiday is a positive step and is
somehow a recognition of the existence of Chinese, whereas in the
past we were treated like the "stepchildren".

But from my observations, too many political figures are using
this occasion as an opportunity to gain support and garner votes
from the people. I'm not being negative, but look at how so many
party leaders show up on television, trying to earn our sympathy.

I hope that in the future, Imlek will be celebrated more
openly but will be less commercialized.

-- The Jakarta Post