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By the way: Being Indonesian and proud of it
Sun, 03/29/2009 11:14 AM | Headlines
Another head scratching moment for me and for people who assist me — as an Indonesian passport holder I always face the same issue every time I need or plan to go to other countries outside ASEAN. Applying for entry visas, with stacks of documents and tedious preparations required. At the end I always feel overwhelmed filling in the forms and preparing necessary documents.
One has suggested to me to change nationality to make it easier for me whenever I need to travel overseas. You know, for citizens of some countries, they have visa waivers so they can just jump up and go overseas anytime they want.
As a spontaneous person I feel this visa issue burdening me a lot. When I am in the mood for travel I need to check entry requirement first, then have to start applying for visas. Depending on the country and my luck (and so far I have been lucky), I will get a visa approved in 1-2 weeks. But, hey, the anticipation may not be there anymore. But what can I do? Nothing. Just try to keep my name clear so every time I apply for a visa or when I enter any country the immigration officer’s computer will flash “Clear” or “Not in the dangerous list” or whatever.
Back to the suggestion of changing nationality, I suddenly remember one story of an Indonesian singer who already went international. She has been living outside Indonesia for many years and had established her reputation as a reputable international singer in Europe. She changed her Indonesian nationality to another nationality. She told the papers that as an international artist she had difficulties and often has a headache applying for and getting entry visas to perform or do overseas tours and the Indonesian embassy people did not help her much too. Exchanging nationality for ease of travel?
It is true that being Indonesian we often have to line up outside the embassy applying for visas that may or may not be approved, with stacks of documents and financial proofs that should be prepared, and we have to wait for at least 1 week or, it could be worst, 1 month to get it. In the process, our passports will be kept with them. Honestly I hate this waiting time. I am hopeless without my green passport.
Now come to think of it, why do people, in this case governments, always make things so complicated? Is it their nature not to trust anybody? So is it that we are guilty before proven innocent?
Maybe changing nationality is worth doing it. But, my blood is Indonesian. Although, like many Indonesians, I swear a lot about the country, but, it is my country, and I belong to it. I was, am and always will be Indonesian. No matter what.
I never knew that I loved my country until I realized it one day. I still remember vividly that day. I was about to move to Canada. It was late November. I was at Cengkareng airport in Jakarta, waiting for my flight. It was not a time when the national anthem was normally played publicly, but, suddenly I heard the Indonesian national anthem. I was dumb struck and started crying quietly. I missed Indonesia already. I promised myself that being Indonesian overseas meant that I had to represent Indonesia, make the country proud of me, and that I would be proud of the country and defend it.
Despite any troubling things that have been happening in Indonesia, I am never ashamed of being Indonesian. I am sometimes sad and disappointed with what’s happening in the country but am never ashamed of the country. If any bad news about Indonesia reaches the shores where I live, I will always take it as my responsibility to help the country to explain — especially to non-Indonesian people or people who are not familiar with Indonesia — what exactly is happening.
I always believe it is our duty to learn the best things wherever we live overseas and bring them back to Indonesia someday, perhaps to help build a better Indonesia in the future.
Well, in the end, with my discovering my true love of my country, Indonesia, it is really worth going through the headaches and bother of applying for entry visas rather than exchanging my identity. I am Indonesian. I will always be Indonesian. And I am proud of it.
What's On
- Festival of India
10/29/2009 12/15/2009 Balai Kartini & Umar Ismail Hall, Jakarta
- Imagemakers of the Future: Photography exhibition
10/10/2009 11/30/2009 Alila Ubud Desa Melinggih Kelod Payangan, Gianyar 80572, Bali - Timeless Change
11/05/2009 12/07/2009 Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Hotel Jimbaran, Bali. - Choreography of Colours; Sardono W. Kusumo's first solo painting exhibition
11/12/2009 12/12/2009 vivi yip art room Annexe Ciputra World Marketing Gallery Jalan Prof Satrio Kav 11, Casablanca
Christian Edwards (not verified) — Fri, 04/03/2009 - 5:27pm
Concerning Primary Drive's comments regarding the 220 million poor in Indonesia is pretty far-fetch. There are probably 45 million poor people living and struggling to male a dissent living. The meaning of poor is vague. There are also millions of poor people in the Western world and by defining poor is rather vague. One can still be poor and be living a manageable life. Poverty is another level of being rock bottom poor.
Being an Indonesian living abroad as an expat and traveling to Europe never posed any problems for me at all. On one occasion, I have seen Malaysians, and Brazilian passport holders being turned away by UK immigration officals at the border control in the train station in France before boarding the Euro Star train to the UK. So for those proud Indonesians, you have nothing to fear to travel abroad as long as you have the proper documentation at all time. With a clear consience why doubt oneself when traveling abroad.
Gabriel (not verified) — Fri, 04/03/2009 - 5:12pm
Proud of your home country. That´s the way it should be.
Your home country is like your family, you don´t choose them. I´ve been living in Indonesia for some years. Nice and kind people, and beautiful country, but I would never ever change my home country for Indonesia, that is clear. I´m open to apply for my wife´s country (Indonesia), but Indonesia will never be my homecountry.
Being from Latin America I have family that has American citizenship, and that doesn´t mean they love less our country. So I agree, you can change your citizenship for practical reasons, and still love your home country.
Sigit Mursidi (not verified) — Fri, 04/03/2009 - 1:24pm
Compared to other countries where I visited, I believe Indonesia is very hospitable. Yes, despite the Situ Gintung and other chain of tragedies in Indonesia.
I travelled and lived in Italy in my early 1980s, in the US in the late 1980s, and in Germany last year. I still am proud to be Indonesian. In the 80s, because we are the anchor of stability in SE Asia, and in the 2000s because we are still (despite all odds) the anchor of stability, by and large.
Yes we've got our political downside that makes me sad (1965, 1998) the spate of Wahabian bombings in the early 2000s, but we realized that we will remain a nation. Indonesia is a country which provides opportunity for the members of the working class (myself included) for so long as they are willing to invest hardwork, persistence, and goodwill. Despite my humble background (and also those of others, I believe), I come to see it in my life that I could travel, study, and work all over the world where I wish, and have a relatively decent life. I wonder if ot her countries could provide the same without putting me into the membership of "minorities" in their society.
Long live Indonesia. Me too, am proud of it.
Riris (not verified) — Fri, 04/03/2009 - 12:22pm
I also proud of it....BUT I more proud of u, Iene..and guys..u know that Indonesia should be proud to have people like Iene Muliati..
Suryantara (not verified) — Fri, 04/03/2009 - 9:55am
I couldn't agree more with you. Yeah, we are overwhelmed with a lot of problems but I do belief that we are moving forward. Thanks for your article.
A.H. Subarda (not verified) — Thu, 04/02/2009 - 2:54pm
Oh……
This article make me muse and cry. Yeach you’re right that we are Indonesian and we must proud of it.
PrimaryDrive (not verified) — Thu, 04/02/2009 - 4:35am
I care a lot about Indonesia and the people. But proud!? No. What's there to be proud of? With one folly after another, we basically have ruined the future of our children. Our heritage for them is a country of 200 millions poverty; whereas we are supposed to give them hope.
Nicolas (not verified) — Thu, 04/02/2009 - 1:35am
The Indonesian can be proud of their country. But also, take care of it, please.
Arsene Wenger (not verified) — Wed, 04/01/2009 - 10:07pm
I find this article extremely stupid. It is more important to put values (honesty, truth, tolerance, democracy, etc) above labels (country, ethnics, religion, etc).
Soedira Soedibrata (not verified) — Wed, 04/01/2009 - 8:22pm
you can be a citizen of another country and still be proud of being indonesian. why do you have to choose when you can have the best of both worlds.
about the restricitons on having dual nationality, like evertyhing else in indonesia, it is solve-able with certain amount of rupiah.
and please don't even start moralising about corruption etc. if the country's most treasured trait works for your advantage, then why not. you're happy, the fat cat official is happy. everyone's happy.