Perceptions of Chinese Indonesians Holding Different Public Offices

Date	Thursday, 19 September 2024	Time	12.00 – 1.00pm
Venue	Sidney Myer Asia Centre, Room 321	Location	The University of Melbourne

Dr Wu-Ling Chong, Professor Burhanuddin Muhtadi, and Kennedy Muslim presented their findings on the perceptions towards Chinese Indonesians holding public offices at various levels, from president to governor or mayor in Indonesia.

The opening up of a more liberal political space and the revocation of discriminatory laws against Chinese Indonesians after the fall of Suharto in May 1998 have motivated many Chinese Indonesians to actively get involved in politics. But as time passed, resistance towards the political participation of Chinese Indonesians began to emerge, particularly towards those running for regional or local political executive head positions such as governor and mayor in certain areas.

Based on data obtained from various national surveys, their study contended that in comparison with religion, the ethnicity of Chinese Indonesians matters more in influencing perceptions of Chinese Indonesians holding public offices.