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Indonesians in Hong Kong have thrown their support behind a proposal to set up a designated centre for their community.
Addy Kurnia Komara, the director and project coordinator from the Indonesian Muslim Association in Hong Kong (IMAH), said the community lacked a dedicated space.
He also noted that Indonesians were the second-largest ethnic minority group in the city.
Other groups, such as Malaysians and Filipinos, had set up their own centres, he said.
Luisa Tan Castro, who is also working on the proposal, said that many Indonesians ended up gathering in places that were “subject to adverse conditions” and seen negatively.
She added: “Given the government’s push to make the city more liveable and attractive to Muslims, shouldn’t we be more welcoming to those from our neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand [and more?]”
The IMAH, which launched in 2017, began working on the proposal in August last year.
It is currently awaiting government approval for the planned centre.
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Benefits to the community
The NGO has suggested setting up the centre in the former Wesley Hostel near Victoria Park to help minimise costs.
Komara, 57, said the building had been abandoned for two decades.
“[I asked myself] why is nobody interested in this?” he said. “It’s great, because the structure is still there.”
As part of its work on the plan, the IMAH conducted a number of surveys.
It also looked at where Indonesians lived in the city, what jobs they held and how they spent their days off, among other considerations.
“More than 90 per cent [of those surveyed] reacted positively to the proposal. Even individuals from other communities have expressed their support,” Castro said.
Endang Larasati, who has lived in Hong Kong for 10 years as a domestic helper, said she was “very excited” about the proposal.
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“Having this community has many benefits for me, especially because during the holidays I can have a comfortable place,” she said, adding that she was most excited about learning Chinese and English at the centre.
“In my opinion, this [centre] will be very useful ... because we cannot only use the place to learn arts and culture and [take] courses, but also to hold seminars. Maybe if the place is big enough I’m sure it can also be used for religious studies.”
Komara said the centre would be able to host cultural activities, events and education classes for Indonesians and locals.
He referred to classes for dancing, cooking and languages, among others.
Komara also stressed the importance of domestic helpers being able to learn important life skills.
“We [would] have education to upgrade their skills, update their knowledge,” he said. “Because most of them have not finished secondary school, so they can [learn more] here with our organisation.”
Members of Hong Kong’s Indonesian community attend a Cantonese class. Photo: Handout
An impact on youngsters
The NGO also spoke to locals for its research.
Most Hongkongers in the survey said they would come to the centre to learn about traditional cooking, take Bahasa Indonesia language classes, or enjoy arts and crafts.
Hongkonger Teresa, who only gave her first name, said she was keen to see the community centre built.
The 20-year-old Education University of Hong Kong student said the site could be a “dedicated space to celebrate Indonesian culture, connect with others, and participate in events like traditional dance, music or food festivals”.
She believed this would allow “younger generations to learn more about Indonesian culture and heritage”.
Teresa was interested in joining language classes and cultural workshops to “better understand my Indonesian friends and neighbours”.
She was also curious to learn about traditional cooking and art through courses at the centre.
The university student said she felt that there was not enough education about Indonesian culture in the city.
Talks and resources for schools could help fill this gap, she said.
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“Introducing Bahasa culture to Hong Kong locals could break stereotypes by showing Indonesia beyond just domestic work – like its cuisine, diverse religions, or modern artists,” she said.
“School collaborations could also help local students learn more through experiential learning.”
University of Hong Kong undergraduate student Rifqi Aunur Rahman also wanted to see the centre come to life.
He said it could facilitate a “better connection” with his community and beyond.
“I [would be] very excited about the activities and gatherings that will be held there, meeting new people, and addressing our own culture,” said the 18-year-old, who moved to the city from Indonesia last year.
“I would like to join some cultural activities related to traditional sports and martial arts.”
He felt that most people in Hong Kong “only know very little” about Indonesia and education on his country’s culture was “very limited”.
Rahman said he hoped the community centre could unite different groups in society.
“With such a big portion of Indonesian people living in Hong Kong, [there must be] a basic understanding that cultural acknowledgements have to be more prioritised to allow more harmony,” he said.
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