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Tuesday, April 11, 2017

A Chinese's Point Of View

It’s not easy to be a Chinese living in Indonesian archipelago. I remember my childhood in Pontianak, a small town with strong Hakka and Teochew influences, especially when it was compared with other cities. I'm not sure how it is like these days, but back in the 80s, it was a rough place for a Chinese kid to grow up. I was treated differently, being shouted as Cina as if it was a cardinal sin to be born as a Chinese. In short, to be threatened, mugged or beaten was common then. Some fought back, but like many, I was taught not to get involved further in such a prejudice. Growing up with an experience like this, one couldn't help learning that Chinese was a minority and disliked for no apparent reason. This in turn shaped our characters to be humble and, at the same time, always on a constant watch.

As I grew older, I got more exposure that allowed me to understand the concept of unity in diversity that was preached by our Founding Fathers. When I graduated from college, I moved to Jakarta. It was totally a different environment where the Chinese actually had to blend in, unlike in Pontianak where we usually stayed within our own community. I was surprised that the non-Chinese colleagues down there were actually fine people. They were quite open and friendly towards me. It was a rather strange feeling, but in a good way.

Then came President Gus Dur. Under his administration, the lunar new year became a public holiday. I saw how people from all walks of life in Pontianak celebrated it. All joined in for the night of fireworks and dragon dance. It was impressive, not to mention touching, to see how, for once, everyone took off their attributes and enjoyed the fun together.

11 years ago, I migrated to Singapore. Working in the Lion City meant we were required to work with anybody, regardless what their skin colors were. What count was what this person could do and contribute to the team. This unique experience, together with the chances to travel to other parts of the world, brought the idea of racial harmony to a whole new level. It was beautiful when people respected and accepted others as who they were. We were richer because of the diversity and life was more interesting due to it.

When I look back, I don't hold grudges for being treated unfairly. I'm, in fact, thankful that I was born in Indonesia, a country so beautiful that was founded based on Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity). I proudly told my Singaporean friends that Indonesia consisted of many ethnicities such as Batak, Sudanese, Javanese and many more, so the reality was nothing like their original perception, that non-Chinese in Indonesia must be the Malay. I smiled when I read the remark made by Lee Kuan Yew in one of his books, One Man's View of the World, that the most important legacy from President Soekarno was Bahasa Indonesia. Thanks to the national language, all Indonesians from the East to the West can communicate with each other. I'm also happy that unlike Malaysia, our country has done away the bumiputera concept. That means as long as we're born in Indonesia, we're all equal.

Then came the Jakarta election and, as far as I could remember, it was the dirtiest, the ugliest and the most distasteful election ever. Everything that could be used to sow discord, be it hardcore religious view, racism or whatever, was used as a propaganda. What a shame, really. What bothered me here was the fact that the racism card was suddenly on the table again. Just because we were Chinese, did this make us less Indonesian than the rest? While I couldn't speak on behalf of others, but as a Chinese who was born in Indonesia, I never thought of myself as being part of China. Not even once. I'm a proud Indonesian, or else I would have converted to other nationality a long time ago.

Look, if there's any jealousy just because of the idea that the Chinese minority is controlling the economy, have you ever seen a very poor Chinese that only can afford house flooring that is made of soil? Furthermore, the Chinese was suppressed in many aspects for years, leaving them nothing else to do except trading, hence could you blame them if they'd become very good at it?

Now, I'm not saying that the Chinese is always on the right side. We Chinese have our fair share of mistakes, too. To be frank, what happens today was a legacy from both sides and not a very proud one at that, but the choice to make it right is ours. Let's not forget the fact that all of us, as Indonesians, care about our country and would like to see it prosper.

What should we do, then? Let's acknowledge that Indonesia is a big country, but majority is uneducated. The problem with the less educated people, coupled with the possible fact that they are also poor, is how easy they are to be stirred up for personal gains. It is undeniable that education is a must these days. For the fact that even educated people could be petty and fanatic for the wrong reasons, what chances do the poor have, if they are not educated?

Next, religions are alright, but the relationship between human and God is personal and it shouldn't be politicized, especially in Indonesia, a country that is so plural, where there are five religions protected by the law. Long before today, our Founding Fathers had realized this. Why one earth some are trying to deny the truth today?

Lastly, a leader is to lead and to serve at the same time. Never before in the history of Indonesia that we have an honest president like Jokowi, who wants to work hard and has proven himself, one result after another. Shouldn't we all support him? Same goes for those who work under his administration. If the civil servants are still lazy and corrupt, they should be ashamed of themselves. How do they sleep at night? That's not our problem, anyway, but we'll make it our problem and our fight to support President Jokowi. This we do by choosing the gubernatorial candidates that are in line with our president. While the fate of this country is for God to decide, but the choice is definitely ours to make...

Image credit: temanahok.com

Sudut Pandang Seorang Tionghoa

Tidak gampang menjadi seorang Tionghoa di bumi Nusantara. Saya ingat masa kecil saya di Pontianak, di mana Tionghoa di kota kelahiran saya ini memiliki budaya yang lebih kental dibanding daerah lain di Indonesia dan masih berbicara dalam bahasa dialek di rumah. Saya tidak tahu bagaimana kondisinya sekarang, tapi Pontianak di dekade 80an bukanlah tempat yang kondusif bagi seorang anak untuk tumbuh dan berkembang. Saya diperlakukan berbeda, diteriaki dengan sebutan Cina seakan-akan itu sesuatu yang salah, diancam akan dipukuli dan bahkan uang jajan saya pun pernah dirampas beberapa kali.

Tumbuh di daerah seperti ini mengajarkan secara tidak langsung bahwa saya ini minoritas yang tidak disukai tanpa alasan yang jelas dan oleh karenanya saya harus senantiasa rendah hati dan waspada. Ketika saya lulus kuliah dan pindah ke Jakarta, terus-terang saya merasa terkejut karena teman-teman kerja saya yang bukan orang Tionghoa ternyata ramah, bersikap menerima dan sangat bersahabat.

Ketika Presiden Gus Dur menjadikan tahun baru Cina sebagai hari libur nasional, saya melihat betapa semua penduduk Pontianak dari berbagai kalangan turut merayakannya mulai dari permainan kembang api semalam suntuk sampai tarian naga. Ada rasa sejuk di hati saat melihat semua suku, ras dan agama menanggalkan atributnya untuk bersuka-cita menikmati perayaan budaya ini.

11 tahun yang lalu, saya pindah ke Singapura. Bekerja di Singapura berarti kita dituntut untuk bekerja sama dengan siapa saja, tidak peduli apa warna kulitnya dan yang dipentingkan adalah apa yang bisa dilakukan oleh masing-masing anggota tim demi tercapainya tujuan akhir dari sebuah proyek. Pengalaman di sini, ditambah lagi dengan kesempatan untuk berkelana ke negara-negara, membuka wawasan saya tentang keharmonisan bersuku, berbangsa dan bernegara.

Kemudian, ketika saya melihat kembali, saya tidak mendendam, tetapi bersyukur telah dilahirkan sebagai orang Indonesia yang berasaskan Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. Saya dengan bangga bercerita kepada teman-teman Singapura, bahwa Indonesia itu terdiri dari banyak suku, bukan saja suku Melayu seperti yang selalu mereka pikirkan. Saya tersenyum ketika membaca tulisan Lee Kuan Yew yang menyebutkan bahwa salah satu peninggalan Bung Karno yang paling penting adalah Bahasa Indonesia, sebab ini memungkinkan kita semua, dari Sabang sampai Merauke, untuk berkomunikasi satu sama lain. Saya senang Indonesia berbeda dengan Malaysia karena dari segi hukum, kita tidak lagi menganut konsep bumiputera (atau pribumi/non-pribumi dalam konteks Indonesia). Ini berarti kita semua adalah sama dan sejajar.

Lalu tiba-tiba kita dihadapkan dengan kenyataan yang terjadi di Pilkada DKI saat ini. Betapa menyedihkan dan konyol. Saya tidak bisa berbicara mewakili semua pihak, tapi sebagai seorang Tionghoa yang lahir di Indonesia, saya tidak berpikir bahwa saya ini bangsa Cina. Tidak sekali pun. Justru sebaliknya, saya bangga menjadi orang Indonesia, sebab kalau tidak, kenapa saya tidak pindah kewarganegaraan menjadi orang Singapura dalam 11 tahun terakhir ini?

Jika ada iri hati karena orang Tionghoa dianggap menguasai perekonomian Indonesia, apakah anda pernah melihat orang Tionghoa yang hanya memiliki rumah beralaskan tanah karena begitu miskinnya? Lagipula berpuluh-puluh tahun suku Tionghoa dibatasi dalam berbagai aspek, jadi apalagi yang musti dilakukan kalau bukan berdagang?

Saya tidak mengatakan bahwa suku Tionghoa sepenuhnya benar. Kondisi hari ini adalah sebuah kesalahan yang dibiarkan berlarut-larut oleh dua belah pihak, namun kita punya pilihan untuk mengoreksinya. Kenyataannya adalah kita semua peduli dan ingin melihat Indonesia menjadi lebih baik.

Jadi apa yang harus kita lakukan? Indonesia adalah bangsa yang besar, tapi sebagian besar belum terdidik. Masalah terbesar dari orang bodoh adalah gampang dihasut. Di sini tidak bisa dipungkiri bahwa pendidikan itu penting dan memungkinkan orang melihat lebih dari sekedar SARA.

Selanjutnya, jika kita mau belajar dari negara-negara maju, agama adalah urusan pribadi seseorang dengan Tuhan, tidak bisa dicampuradukkan dengan kehidupan berbangsa dan bernegara, apalagi di Indonesia yang begitu majemuk penduduknya. Ini sudah dari jauh-jauh hari dipahami dan disepakati oleh bapak-bapak bangsa, kenapa kita mau mengingkarinya hari ini?

Yang terakhir, pemimpin itu hendaknya bersifat mengayomi dan melayani. Untuk pertama kalinya kita memiliki seseorang seperti presiden Jokowi yang jujur, mau bekerja begitu keras dan terlihat hasilnya. Tidakkah sewajarnya kita dukung dia? Demikian juga jajaran pemerintahan yang ada di bawahnya. Kalau pola pikirnya masih malas dan korupsi, sepantasnya mereka malu. Puluhan tahun kita tertinggal dari bangsa-bangsa lain, jadi sungguh tidak terbayangkan orang macam apa yang bisa tidur nyenyak ketika hati nurani semestinya merasa tidak tenang. Akan tetapi itu urusan mereka. Yang menjadi urusan kita adalah melakukan apa yang kita bisa untuk mendukung presiden Jokowi, salah satunya adalah dengan memilih pejabat yang searah dengan pemerintah pusat...

Harmoni antar ras: liburan bersama Pak Doel di Gunung Bromo, tahun 2004.

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