In search of Indonesia's Chinese national heroes

Asvi Warman Adam, (The Jakarta Post), Jakarta

Indonesia's first official appointment of national heroes was made in 1959 and to date 137 individuals have been nominated for the title.

For more than 30 years during the New Order regime, ethnic Chinese were not mentioned in Indonesian history books. Any Chinese-related festivities or cultural performances were prohibited.

It was only after political reforms that conditions changed. Chinese New Year is now a public holiday. Significant improvements have been made to the laws regulating citizenship and civil administration, however, less progress has been made on the country's official history.

Students have never been told of the centuries of major contributions to science and technology made by ethnic Chinese in Indonesia.

According to Indonesia's collective memory, no single ethnic Chinese ever fought in the revolution, but this is incorrect. One of the figures who served this republic was Chinese -- Major John Lie.

Major Lie was first stationed in Cilacap as a captain in the Allied Forces. Over several months he was responsible for clearing the port of mines planted by the Japanese. He was then sent to safeguard ships carrying Indonesian commodities abroad. These goods were sold to replenish the state treasury, which lacked funds at the time.

In 1947 he guarded a shipment of 800 tons of rubber being delivered to an Indonesian representative in Singapore, Utoyo Ramelan. He then took part in at least 15 missions, penetrating the Dutch blockade.

Rubber and other crops were shipped to Singapore to be traded for weapons. These weapons were then delivered to state officials in Sumatra, including the regent of Riau, in the war against the Dutch military.

The major and his men faced tough challenges as they not only had to avoid Dutch patrols, but also the Indian Ocean waves, which were relatively large for a ship of that size.

In early 1950, while in Bangkok, Major Lie was summoned to Surabaya by the Navy chief of staff, Subiyakto, to serve as commander of the warship Rajawali. During his next term of service he joined military operations to wipe out the South Maluku Rebel group (in Maluku) and The Revolutionary Government of Indonesia/Permesta. John Lie continued serving Indonesia until he retired as rear admiral. He deserves the title of "national hero".

Why is it necessary to have a Chinese hero?

A list of national heroes is an album of a nation's struggles. Ethnic groups and regions are represented in this album. It is regrettable however that to date no ethnic Chinese are represented in it. Some individuals received orders of merit, for example the Bintang Mahaputra (civilian order of merit).

Seven-time All-England badminton champion, Rudy Hartono, is an example, however, the title ranks lower than that of a national hero.

An ethnic Chinese addition to the national hero list would show that Chinese, alongside peoples of other ethnic groups, fought for Indonesian independence and defended it.

Biographies of national heroes are taught at schools all over Indonesia. With the nomination of ethnic Chinese national heroes, their stories and life would enter the collective memory, particularly among the younger generation. In other words the Chinese will be positively represented.

Why is there no Chinese hero?

During the New Order, everything that showed any trace of being Chinese was forbidden. It would have been nearly impossible to nominate a Chinese hero at that time. Now after the reforms, Chinese people themselves may not yet realize the significance of having someone from their own community as a national hero.

Apart from this, people have no idea how to propose a national hero candidate. Nomination of an individual starts at the lowest level, i.e. at a municipal/regional level, up to the provincial level before his or her name is forwarded to the Social Services Ministry to be finally taken to the president.

There are different opinions as to who should be nominated. A Chinese community figure, Eddy Sadeli, proposed Ni Hoe Kong, a Chinese captain living in Batavia in 1740. I have no objection to any nominees as long as we acknowledge at least one Chinese national hero.

The government has gradually eased up on the New Order's anti-China attitude, but has not wanted to take the initiative very far.

Soeharto once named a few people national heroes under extraordinary procedures, when in 1993 at the 30th anniversary of the return of West Irian, a number of Irian figures were named national heroes.

When Tien Soeharto died in 1996, a minister suggested that the first lady be named a national hero, and in response to this, President Soeharto immediately issued a presidential decree.

If there was an impression national heroes were those whose lives were spent in the political arena or involved in armed struggles, the government managed to change that perception by naming Ismail Marzuki, a composer of heroic songs during the 1945 revolution, a national hero in 2005.

If the government, in this case the president of the Republic of Indonesia, wants to show that the Chinese also contributed in the fight for independence and are fit to be national heroes, he can do so this year.

In Indonesia, the national hero issue draws a reasonable amount of attention from the government and society. We are different to Thailand which has fewer heroes and has a less complicated procedure for the nomination of its own national heroes.

In Indonesia, the appointment of national heroes has an ideal aim: to preserve the nation's unity and integrity. The nation-building process itself takes a long time, and cannot happen in an instant.

It is expected, however, this process holds more than just rhetoric, and symbolizes our past -- which means making this nation-state a home for everyone, where equality and dignity are shared interests. The teaching of history lessons (in schools) where Chinese culture has contributed to Indonesian civilization, and the appointment of ethnic Chinese as national heroes are good ways to promote this unity.

The writer is a research professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). He can be reached at asvi@cbn.net.id.