Indonesians in Hong Kong to set up community center

Planned center aims to promote understanding, share Indonesian culture and serve as meeting point for second-largest ethnic minority group

HONG KONG (MNTV) – Indonesians in Hong Kong, the second-largest ethnic minority group in the city, have thrown their support behind a proposal to set up a designated center for their community, reports South China Monitoring Post.

Addy Kurnia Komara of the Indonesian Muslim Association in Hong Kong (IMAH) said the community needed a dedicated space. 

Other groups, such as Malaysians and Filipinos, had set up their own centers, he said.

The NGO has suggested setting up the center in the former Wesley Hotel near Victoria Park. Komara, 57, said the building had been abandoned for two decades. 

As part of its preparation, the IMAH organized surveys.

“More than 90 per cent [of those surveyed] reacted positively to the proposal. Even individuals from other communities have expressed their support,” Luisa Tan Castro, who is also working on the proposal, said.

Endang Larasati has lived in Hong Kong for 10 years as a domestic helper. She said she was “very excited” about the plan.

“In my opinion, this (center) will be very useful … because we cannot only use the place to learn arts and culture and [take] courses, but also to hold seminars,” she said.

“Maybe if the place is big enough I’m sure it can also be used for religious studies.”

Komara said the center would be able to host classes for dancing, cooking, language-learning and more.

The NGO also spoke to locals for its research. Most Hongkongers in the survey said they would come to the center to learn about traditional cooking, take Bahasa Indonesia language classes, or enjoy arts and crafts. 

Hongkonger Teresa said she wanted to see the community centrer built. 

The 20-year-old student said the site would allow “younger generations to learn more about Indonesian culture and heritage”.

Teresa said she was interested in joining language classes and cultural workshops to “better understand my Indonesian friends and neighbors”.

She was also curious to learn about traditional cooking and art. 

The university student said she felt that more education was needed about Indonesian culture in the city.

“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.

University of Hong Kong student Rifqi Aunur Rahman also wanted to see the center come to life. “I [would be] very excited about the activities and gatherings that will be held there, meeting new people, and addressing our own culture,” the 18-year-old said.

He moved to the city from Indonesia last year. Rahman felt that most people in Hong Kong “only know very little” about Indonesia. 

Education on his country’s culture was also “very limited”, he said.