"As the next generation, ethnic Indonesian Indonesians are an integral part of the Indonesian Nation. The Chinese Indonesian community must actively participate in the struggle of our predecessors to advance the Indonesian nation into a great nation that is respected, economically independent, politically sovereign, noble and culturally personable and socially just ”- (Sudhamek AWS)
Jakarta, 7 February 2019 - A sentence was delivered by Sudhamek Agoeng Waspodo Soenjoto as Chair of the 2019 National Imlek Committee who is also the Chairman of Garudafood and also active in the National Industrial Economic Committee (KEIN) and as a member of the Pancasila Ideology Development Board (BPIP) on during the opening of the 'National Lunar Celebration' themed "Knitting Diversity Strengthens Unity" on February 7, 2019 in the JIEXPO B3 & C3 Hall, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. Present at the event was President of the Republic of Indonesia Ir. Joko Widodo accompanied by 5th President Megawati Soekarnoputri and 6th Vice President Try Sutrisno.
It is estimated that more than 12,000 residents attended the 2019 National Chinese New Year celebration which was chaired by the Chairperson of the 2019 National Imlek Committee Sudhamek AWS, Teddy Sugianto and David Herman Jaya as Deputy Chairpersons, assisted by Secretary Eddy Hussy and Ulung Rusman, and Pui Sudarto, Husin Widjajakusuma, Ferry Salman as Treasurer. The committee also involved figures and various elements of the Chinese community who oversee several other fields.
President of the Republic of Indonesia Ir. Joko Widodo in his remarks also expressed his appreciation because this celebration was the first time that all ethnic Indonesian Indonesians celebrated Chinese New Year together and nationally. "This is the wealth and diversity of culture that exists in the Indonesian homeland. We must understand that we are a great nation that is blessed with various colors, such as differences in religion, ethnicity, customs, religion and even language, 'he added. In his speech, Jokowi also emphasized to continue to maintain unity, brotherhood and harmony among others because this is a national asset that must be maintained.
This National Lunar New Year celebration feels special because of the choice of design, the arrangement of the event and the participants are arranged in such a way that it matches the theme. The basic color of the background of this event is red and white (national dimension) which is coupled with mega cloudy batik motifs (acculturation dimensions of culture). For this reason, a series of events were also made to inspire unity in Indonesia's diversity. For example: Guzheng classical musical instruments are used to accompany Indonesian national songs. Instead Kolintang is used to accompany Indonesian regional songs and Mandarin songs. The typical Chinese Barongsai attractions are also displayed along with Reog and Ondel-ondel. The event committee also invited a total of 29 kings from all over the archipelago as well as national figures representing their fields such as: sports, arts etc.
In the same place, on 7-10 February 2019, a National Lunar Celebration Festival is also held which is open to the public every day from 10:00 - 22:00 WIB. The festival was enlivened by various archipelago cultural performances, dragon attractions, cultural acculturation, reog attractions, ondel-ondel with lion dance, domestic product exhibitions, typical Chinese culinary, food trucks and food from various regions in Indonesia closed with the excitement of fireworks every day.
Chinese New Year is the most important day in the tradition of Chinese society and has become an expression of tradition celebrated throughout the world, not least in Indonesia. Determination of Chinese New Year as a national holiday is one form of state recognition of ethnic Chinese-Indonesians who cannot be separated from the ups and downs of Indonesian history.
One of them was recorded in the Merdeka Daily edition of February 17, 1946, which confirmed the commitment of the Chinese-Indonesian tribe in upholding Indonesian sovereignty: "The Chinese people are inconsistent with this. By working together, the bahoe-happiness with the Indonesian people, the Toeroet Chinese people stand in Soerabaja oentoek Independent Indonesia ".
These national events are full of diversity values that reflect the spirit of Nationalism as inherited by the nation's founders, and reminded by the fourth President of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. K. H. Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur. Through the Indonesian Presidential Decree No. 6/2000, Gus Dur gives freedom to celebrate Chinese New Year. And then the Chinese New Year as a National Holiday has been established since 2003 by Ms. Megawati Sukarnoputri as the fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia. And since then, Chinese New Year is celebrated as a holiday for all Indonesian people.
The origin of the Chinese New Year celebration is actually to celebrate the coming of spring on mainland China. This celebration is filled with a series of activities in the form of prayer, gathering and eating with family, relatives and friends. The dishes that are generally available when eating together are milkfish, dumplings and various Chinese-style cakes such as nian gao cakes or basket cakes. The various symbols and traditions that are often seen during the Lunar New Year, each of which has the meaning as a good bearer of luck and hope for the coming year.
The Chinese New Year 2570 or 2019 is expected to be a shared home, for various ethnic Indonesian-Chinese groups consisting of various sub-ethnic groups and different religions to be grateful for their diversity which is also the strength of the Indonesian nation, for knitting diversity and strengthening the unity of Indonesia.
Let's end all prejudices and begin to cultivate the spirit of goodness and peace in diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika). Happy Celebrating the Chinese New Year 2570 or 2019 AD in kindness and peace. Gong Xi Fa Chai !.