MPR: Cap Go Meh in Singkawang is a local culture enriching national identity
Jakarta (ANTARA) - MPR Deputy Chairman Bambang Wuryanto stated that the 2026 Cap Go Meh Festival held in Singkawang, West Kalimantan, is a local culture capable of enriching national identity, embodying Indonesia’s narrative of tolerance.
He said that national identity is not about uniformity, but diversity. From Singkawang, he argued, all parties must learn that differences are not a reason for division, but should become energy for unity.
“Let us send a message to the world that Indonesia stands firm as a nation that upholds peace, tolerance and brotherhood,” Bambang said whilst delivering the MPR Chairman’s address at the 2026 Cap Go Meh Festival in front of the Singkawang Mayor’s Office in West Kalimantan on Tuesday.
As a state institution tasked with grounding the values of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, he stated that the MPR will continue to be committed to maintaining national harmony.
The MPR, he said, is present in national dynamics as a broad house for interfaith dialogue in preserving unity, strengthening tolerance, and ensuring every citizen has equal standing before the constitution, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or race.
The official, commonly known as Bambang Pacul, said that history records that the Chinese community has played an important role in Indonesia’s national journey in the fields of trade, education, health, and the struggle for independence.
On the other hand, he said that the nation must not forget the historical dynamics that have brought wounds and challenges. However, he added, Indonesia has learned that diversity is ultimately a source of strength.
“The contribution of the Chinese community is inseparable from our national narrative,” he said.
He also explained that Singkawang is known as the city of a thousand temples because it became one of the destinations for Chinese migrants, who have lived dynamically since the 18th century.
“Together with Malay and Dayak communities, it has created the multicultural harmony we witness today,” he said.