The Determination Of Chinese New Year As A National Holiday By President Megawati Soekarnoputri In Today's History, April 9, 2002

Illustration of Chinese New Year celebrations. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today, 21 years ago, April 9, 2002, President Megawati Soekarnoputri set China's New Year's Day, Chinese New Year as a national holiday. The determination has been stated in the Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 19 of 2002.

Previously, ethnic Chinese could breathe a sigh of relief when entering the reform era. The prohibition of carrying out New Order (Orba) era traditions finally did not apply anymore. All because of the courage of Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) to abort the New Order policy. Megawati continued that leadership.

China's ethnic life was so limited in the New Order era. His fate is increasingly marginalized. Moreover, the power of attorney consistently limits, suppresses, and issues a discriminatory policy for the Chinese. All because of the presence of the September 30th Movement (G30S).

The New Order government then concluded that communism originated from China. As a result, every Chinese in Indonesia has the potential to bring and make communism a living view. This belief made the New Order try to regulate the lives of Chinese people in the archipelago.

The New Order issued Presidential Decree No. 14 of 1967. The Presidential Decree regulates that worship and celebration of Chinese people are sufficient to be carried out within a limited scope. That too must be the government's permission. However, during the Presidential administration, Gus Dur's discriminatory policy was thrown away.

Gus Dur saw that the New Order rules were far from the various values adopted by Indonesia. He also initiated Presidential Decree No. 6 of 2000. It contained an abortion of the New Order era Presidential Decree. All kinds of behavior of Chinese lives are allowed to be carried out in public again.

First, revoking Presidential Instruction Number 14 of 1967 concerning Religion, Trust, and Chinese Istiadat Customs, Second, with the enactment of this Presidential Decree, all existing implementation provisions due to Presidential Instruction Number 14 of 1967 concerning Religion, Trust, and Chinese Istiadat Customs are declared invalid.

"Third, with this the implementation of religious activities, beliefs, and Chinese customs is carried out without special permission. As it has been so far," said Presidential Decree Gus Dur.

The privileges obtained by ethnic Chinese also continued during the time of President Megawati. Bung Karno's son tried to continue Gus Dur's mandate to maintain the diversity of the archipelago. Megawati also wants to show herself as President of Indonesia who is able to stand above all groups.

Megawati also issued Presidential Decree No. 19 of 2002. It contained megawati setting the Chinese New Year as a national holiday. The consistency in supporting ethnic Chinese is evidenced by the decision set on April 9, 2002. This means that starting in 2003, every Chinese New Year, all Indonesian people will enjoy holidays.

First, that the implementation of religious activities, beliefs, and customs, in hekekat is an inseparable part of human rights, Second, that the Chinese New Year is a tradition of Chinese society which is celebrated for generations in various regions in Indonesia," explained Megawati's consideration in her Presidential Decree.