Tan Joe Hok assails discrimination
Muninggar Saraswati and Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Tan Joe Hok, a former Indonesian badminton hero, readily acknowledges that he is a Chinese-Indonesian, but deep down in his heart he feels more like an person of Sundanese descent.
Born and raised in the small town of Rancaekek, just outside the West Java capital of Bandung, he considers Indonesia his homeland.
The 65-year-old Tan, who uses his Chinese name, made a name for himself as a badminton star when he won the men's team Thomas Cup for the first time in 1958 and help defend the cup two more times thereafter. He also was one of the first Chinese- Indonesians to receive high medals of honor from the Indonesian government.
Despite being Chinese-Indonesian, he says he does not speak his ancestral language and so he began a Mandarin language course a few months ago.
"Instead of Chinese, I speak Sundanese daily with my family members," he says. "I also speak Dutch, English and Spanish but not Mandarin."
With his unique background, Tan hopes to serve as a bridge to improve communication between Chinese-Indonesians and other ethnic groups for a more united, discrimination-free Indonesia.
"I think it was stupid that our government once banned its people from learning Chinese language. Now most (international) businesses and companies are looking to China," he added.
The freedom to learn and speak one's mother tongue, regardless of ethnic group, is not the only goal of his fight for a discrimination-free Indonesia.
Tan often speaks eloquently about the structural, state- sponsored discrimination against millions of Indonesians of Chinese descent.
"Structural discrimination is definitely against basic human rights," he asserts.
Tan has experienced such discrimination directly, despite his status as a national hero.
In the early 1970s when he and his family returned to Indonesia after living and working abroad since the 1960s, they were in for a rude awakening.
He studied chemistry and biology in the United States after he had won the Thomas Cup three times, as well as All England and Asian Games medals. He later worked as a badminton coach in Mexico and Hong Kong.
During the brutal anti-Chinese Soeharto regime, the government required all Chinese-Indonesians to have a "K1", a document which gives provisional Indonesian citizenship to anyone of Chinese descent, regardless of where one was born.
He had to struggle with bureaucracy and other "official" hurdles just to get the documents for he and his wife Goei Kiok Nio, whom he married in 1965. Goei was a member of the Indonesia women's team for the Uber Cup between 1962 and 1965.
He was amazed when several schools here rejected his young daughter Mariana and son Didi Kartanegara just because they did not have completed K1 and SBKRI (the Republic of Indonesia Citizenship Certificate) to "prove" their Indonesian citizenship.
"I once came home and was greeted like a hero; people cheered me on (for his victory). But, I had to take my children from court to court to get their SBKRI. We had to queue in countless offices to get documents required for Chinese-Indonesians," he recalls bitterly.
Tan found the discrimination sickening. The policy did not exist when he left Indonesia, while the country was still governed by president Sukarno.
"The SBKRI is discriminative! Without it, Chinese-Indonesians may not go to school, do business or even marry someone legally," lamented Tan.
He has forgiven to some extent, the New Order regime, but still wants the current government to change all the discriminatory laws still on the books and being used.
"Let bygones be bygones. But please, address the issue. What we need is political will from the leaders," said Tan, who was born on Aug. 11, 1937.
Soeharto actually issued in 1996, a decree proclaiming SBKRI no longer necessary. His successor, B.J. Habibie, strengthened it by issuing a decree barring racial discrimination.
President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid revoked several other decrees issued by the New Order government which were oppressive and racist toward Chinese-Indonesians.
"Senior officials may say that SBKRI is no longer needed but the policy does not apply in reality," Tan said, referring to the corrupt, racist civil servants and officials who still demand it, in defiance of the law, Constitution and human rights.
Despite the discrimination, Tan still serves his country. He coached the Indonesian badminton team that brought home the Thomas Cup championship trophy in 1984. Among his trainees were champions Ardy B. Wiranata, Hendrawan and badminton player-turned-body builder Ade Rai.
He became even more irate over the racism following the May 1998 rioting, where mobs destroyed property belonging to Chinese- Indonesians and gang-rapped and murdered well over 100 Chinese girls.
"Why does Indonesia always have ethnic conflicts? This country was designed to be multi-ethnic. Indonesia is declining now, and it can only be rebuilt with a multi-ethnic spirit," Tan asserted.
Following his wife's death on Feb. 1, 1998, Tan lives in a quiet house in upscale housing complex in Central Jakarta with his daughter Mariana, who is now an interior design consultant.
"This house is a gift from Pak Ali Sadikin (former Jakarta governor) for my achievements 30 years ago," Tan said.
He believes that a person, particularly at his age, must live his life in a healthy way.
"It will do everything to prevent mental decline. People may have younger looks, but you can't deny mental aging," said Tan, who regularly reads books -- mostly science -- and follows news from the internet, newspapers, radio and TV.
He attributes his youthful looks to his regular routine of badminton, fitness exercises and his preference for healthy food.
"My chronological age is 66 but my biological age is between 40 to 45," he says, proudly.
In his spare time, he listens to classical music or plays with his two Rotweillers.
"I only want to live as a healthy old man," says Tan, who does not celebrate the Chinese New Year in any special way because "I celebrate it everyday".
As a world-class athlete, he is still involved in the country's badminton program. He is one of the advisers for the national badminton association. Tan says he often helps design strategy for the Indonesian badminton team.
Now one of the deans of national badminton, he was angry when top current shuttler Hendrawan faced so many difficulties in getting his citizenship certificate before heading to China for the Thomas Cup tournament last year.
"I understand his feelings. A shuttler would never be able to give his best performance in a game if he has a troubled mind," he says.
He also lamented that fact, that while Gus Dur repealed many laws, including the SKBRI, several Chinese-Indonesian shuttlers are also in the same boat, and not yet considered full citizens -- do not have the document -- even though they fight and struggle on the badminton court for this country's glory.
Despite his relative contentment now, Tan will still strive to see Indonesia become a country free of the ugly racism that haunts it to this day.
He recalls a time when he met three Singaporean police officers of different races -- Chinese, Malay and Indian -- when he was strolling along the famed Orchard Road.
"I was quite curious, so I deliberately bumped the Malay officer and asked him 'How is it that you are Malay, yet have still become a police officer?'"
"The officer replied proudly that he was not Malay, but a Singaporean."
Tan said he repeated the same question to the Chinese and Indian officers and received the same answer.
"I am looking forward to a day when we (Indonesians) all are really united like that. I hope this will happen before I die," asserts Tan.