Cap Go Meh, Anies: Jakarta Must Be An Example Of Unity

Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan while attending the Cap Go Meh Festival in Glodok, West Jakarta, Wednesday (12/2/2025). ANTARA/Risky Syukur

JAKARTA - Former DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the city of Jakarta must be an example of unity in the momentum of the Cap Go Meh celebration as the peak of the 2025 Chinese New Year celebration.

"In Indonesia there is diversity and there is unity. That is what distinguishes Indonesia from other countries. And Jakarta must be an example in that unity," Anies said in his remarks while attending the Cap Go Mehdi Pancoran Festival, Glodok, West Jakarta, Wednesday, February 12.

According to Anies, diversity is a gift from God and unity is the community's business.

"Unity is a reflection of our efforts. Because that is unique from Indonesia, it is not the variety," he said.

Anies, who in 2022 inaugurated the Sucpitan Pancoran Gapuran, Glodok, said it was not easy to re-initigate the construction of the collapsed monument during the Japanese colonial era.

"We are grateful for the great support from the big family of the Indonesian Chinese Association (INTI) who prepared starting from images, collecting funds, and finally the gate was there even though it was delayed due to COVID-19. This gate continues to be one of the icons of the city of Jakarta," said Anies.

The establishment of the Sucpitan Gapura, said Anies, is proof of equality between ethnicities in Jakarta. The equality is the beginning of unity.

"Unity cannot be started with inequality, unity begins with equality," he said.