JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY)'s commitment to maintaining the diversity and harmony of the Indonesian nation is second to none. For him, he often shows his concern for ethnic diversity in Indonesia. Against ethnic Chinese, for example.
SBY once issued a regulation that changed the term China to Chinese among the government. Moreover, SBY is noted to be active in realizing the Chinese New Year celebrations in the archipelago. In fact, at the end of his term as President of Indonesia.
Ethnics of China was once considered a foreign nation in Indonesia. The presence of Presidential Decree No. 14 of 1967 in the New Order era (Orba) is behind it. This policy makes all kinds of large celebrations of Chinese customs and religion including Chinese New Year's 'forbidden in public.
Even if you want to celebrate the Chinese New Year, then ethnic Chinese must have permission here and there and don't necessarily get results. However, everything changed when Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) became President of Indonesia. Gus Dur then issued the new Presidential Decree No. 6 of 2000 to invalidate the New Order Era rules.
This means that all ethnic Chinese in the archipelago have been allowed to celebrate major customs and religions including the Chinese New Year in public since 2000. Instead of only being enjoyed by ethnic Chinese throughout the country, in fact the policy was greeted with great fanfare by all Indonesian people.
SBY let alone. He and his family have been able to enjoy the excitement of the Chinese New Year since then. even when he served as President of Indonesia. He also thought about the livelihoods of the Chinese. He did not want the discrimination against the Chinese people to continue.
He also issued Presidential Decree No. 12 of 2014. It explains that in all government administrations, China will be replaced to Chinese.
The decision of the President of the Republic of Indonesia No. 12/2014 (on March 12, 2014) is seen as one of the steps to advance against the elimination of discrimination and fighting politics. On the other hand, some people think that the Presidential Decree is too excessive and tends to specialize in ethnic Chinese-Chinese.
The various views that exist are actually legal because there are so many ethnic Chinese-Chinese-Chinese problems along with the history of the nation's journey since pre-colonial. There are many scientific research and publications that have been carried out on the ethnic relations of China-Chinese-Chinese and bumiputra, it seems that it is not easy to solve quickly and within a matter of years," Abdullah Idi said in the book Ethnicity Politics of the Dutch East Indies (2019).
His support for ethnic Chinese continues to be shown by SBY throughout his tenure as the number one person in Indonesia. from 2004 to 2014. SBY was noted to have never been absent from attending Chinese New Year celebrations in various regions in the archipelago since he first served as President of Indonesia.
He even took the time to attend the Chinese New Year celebrations at the end of his term as President of Indonesia in 2014. He visited the Plenary Hall, the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). He wished the Chinese New Year (horse year) all the attendees who came. He gave a happy and happy Chinese New Year.
"We all hope that the representatives of the people and the president and vice president that we will vote for later, really maintain the mandate in accordance with the expectations of the people. The leaders who put the interests of the people first in acting properly, in making decisions and policies. In that regard, I welcome the theme of the big celebration of this Chinese New Year, namely the true leader who upholds the love and love for the truth, not on profit."
"I invite the Chinese community, to maintain togetherness, solidarity and harmony among the nation's citizens. If we live in harmony, within, unite, have a big heart, be tolerant, work hard and smart as well as Taqwa and Tawakal, the life of our nation will continue to grow well," said SBY as quoted on the website of the Chinese Embassy for Indonesia, February 7, 2014.
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