IMLEK CELEBRATION, A SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF INDONESIAN TODAY

In the history of world-class festivals in Indonesia, IMLEK (Chinese New Year) in 2010 is perhaps the most unique. Besides coming along with  Valentine's Day celebration which falls on February 14, IMLEK this year is also the third public celebration for the Chinese descendants in Indonesia since Confucianism officially has been regarded as legal religion by the government of Indonesia, stated in Government Regulation no. 55/2007 about Religious Education.

Photo by:www.fengshui-koh.com

IMLEK celebration for the Chinese-Descendants people in Indonesia who are mostly Confucians becomes an important moment. History records that, since the issuance of Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967 which stated that Confucius was not officially recognized as a religion by the government and the Confucian followers must move to another religion to maintain their citizenship, IMLEK celebrations were not held in public.
After the reform era in Indonesia, in 1998, as the fall of President Soeharto, the president's instructions No.14/1967 and the decree of the Minister of Home Affairs in 1978 were revoked by President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) and the Confucianism was again officially recognized as a religion in Indonesia. Chinese culture and everything associated with IMLEK are now allowed to be practiced. The followers of Confucianism in Indonesia are now free to implement their teachings, as well as Chinese traditions.This freedom is then used by the Chinese-descendants Indonesian to celebrate IMLEK openly. Even to honor Gur Dur, on top of IMLEK Festival this year, 2010, there will be marked by poetry readings for the 4th President of Indonesia.

source of picture: www.presidensby.info

In addition, thanks to the policies of two other Indonesian presidents, Megawati Sukarnoputri and the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, community development and the celebration of IMLEK is increasingly visible. Various welcoming event in public places such as in supermarkets and public space, in various media, including radio, newspapers, and television, as well as community initiatives by implementing various activities, both the Barongs and Chinese cultural parade are held to colorize the IMLEK Celebration.