Indonesian pageant embodies Chinese community’s hopes of wider acceptance under Prabowo

On July 14, East Java’s Chinese-Indonesian community turned out in their best Peranakan attire for this year’s final of Koko and Cici – “Mister and Miss” in Hokkien – held in downtown Surabaya, the province’s capital.

Angie Laurentsia, the East Java Koci Foundation chairwoman, said: “This year’s pageant marks its fourth year running. We have gone from strength to strength with each passing year.”

The contest is held annually in 10 of Indonesia’s 37 provinces, including East Java.

Emil Dardak, Deputy Governor of East Java, said: “I’ve come every year to the Koko Cici, and I’ve always been impressed by how far it’s come along.”

The event’s guest of honour, who was accompanied by his actress-wife Arumi Bachsin, said Koko Cici was a “celebration of Indonesia’s diversity” and a “reminder of the glue which binds all the ethnic groups” of the nation.

“The pageant is a testimony to the centuries of contributions of the Chinese community to our society,” Emil said.

Emil cited the example of dishes synonymous with Indonesia, such as bakso (meatball soup) and lumpia (spring rolls), which have their origin in Peranakan culture.

“Indonesian-Chinese heritage has merged into the Indonesian identity so that the two are now indistinguishable from one another.”

The successful organisation of the Koko Cici pageant in recent years was proof of the local Chinese community’s seamless integration into Indonesia, Emil said. Chinese Indonesians can also be the bridge to connect their country to Chinese-speaking communities around the world, he added.

His comments came amid closer trade ties between Indonesia and China in recent years.

China is Indonesia’s No. 1 trading partner and second-largest source of foreign direct investment. In 2023, China’s