At a Chinese New Year celebration in Jakarta, Indonesian Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka and other leaders urged citizens to maintain harmony and work to alleviate poverty in the world’s fourth most populous country.

About 2,000 people attended the event at the Chinese Cultural Center, Taman Mini Cultural Park, in East Jakarta, on Feb 9. 

Gibran called on the audience, including those who virtually participated in the celebration, to remain united in order to achieve the nation’s target of becoming a high-income country by 2045, under the Golden Indonesia 2045 project.

“We, as a united nation, can continue (to) support and help each other in addressing future challenges that include economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and the impacts of climate change,” the vice president said.

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Gibran said, “Indonesia is rich (in) diversity”. He added that the country must abide by its national motto, Bhineka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), which is its source of national strength.

The event began with the singing of the national anthem, “Indonesia Raya”, and was enlivened by traditional Chinese and local dances as well as other art performances.

The vice-president specially called for support from all parties, including the Chinese Indonesian community, to implement the current government’s free nutritious meal program.

He lauded the Chinese community for their steadfast support of the government’s development programs.

Accounting for less than 2 percent of the country’s total population of 281 million people, Chinese Indonesians play a key role in the country’s development. The community is held in high esteem for its entrepreneurial skills.    

For the past 26 years, Indonesia has observed Chinese New Year, which is called Imlek, as a national holiday. It is attended by state leaders and other officials, along with the leaders of various communities including those who follow the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius.

This year’s celebration is themed “Righteous Behavior of Leaders Will Straighten Out the Heart of All People”.

Like most participants at the gathering, the vice president wore long-sleeved red batik shirts. Other officials who attended the celebrations included Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar, Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri, and the Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong.

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Umar said the government will continue to treat all religions equally.   

He lauded Confucian followers for their contributions to Indonesia, including the provision of scholarships, and the building last year of a Konghucu High Learning Institute in Bangka Belitung province.

The institution, the first of its kind in Indonesia, is designed to provide up to doctoral degrees with the prospect of becoming a university, according to government officials.

Budi Tanuwibowo, chairman of the High Council of Konghucu Religion, said he is positive the nation will stay united despite the tough contests in the 2024 presidential and legislative elections that led to the victory of President Prabowo Subianto and Gibran. 

Those who emerge as winners in an electoral contest should keep in mind that such political activity is the means to achieve national goals in a democracy, Tanuwibowo said.

“The main goal is how to make our people prosperous and make our nation a great nation,” Tanuwibowo said.

He stressed that those in power should be trustworthy, citing the teachings of Confucius.  

 About 2,000 people attend the event in East Jakarta, on Feb 9. 

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Imlek was celebrated in various parts of the Indonesian archipelago. Chinese Indonesians and people of other ethnicities took an active part in the festival. On Feb 9, celebrations to mark Imlek were held in Manado, the provincial capital of North Sulawesi.

About 2,000 people gathered at the grand hall of  the city’s largest hotel. Local government officials, community leaders and followers of different faiths attended the gathering that was also streamed online. 

Government officials and community leaders addressed the gathering. One of the attendees, Meliana Silvia, was elated she and her husband could celebrate Chinese New Year with their family in Jakarta, before returning to Northern Territory, in Australia, where they work.

The young Chinese-Indonesian couple had returned to the country after several years. Silvia said she was delighted to witness Chinese New Year celebrations in the national capital Jakarta and other places across the country.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.