Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Despite attempts to allay their fears, Chinese Indonesians remain concerned about President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's commitment to fighting discrimination.
Many are worried that his deputy, Mr Jusuf Kalla, could push for economic policies that discriminate against them.
Although the new government has not unveiled such policies, ethnic Chinese communities here are watching for signals that indicate they might be on the cards.
This anxiety stems from Mr Jusuf's stance during campaigns early this year on the need for an affirmative-action policy to benefit small and medium-scale entrepreneurs, who are mostly indigenous Indonesians, and bridge the wide income gap in the country.
He lauded the Malaysian model for giving a headstart to indigenous Malaysians but maintained that any affirmative policy here would not be imposed on the basis of race but rather on the scale of the businesses.
His remark, in an interview with the Sinar Harapan daily last month, has sparked another flurry of concern and nervousness among the Chinese.
Mr Jusuf told the daily he was considering changing lending policies to favour small and medium businesses which, he claimed, are 95 per cent owned by indigenous Indonesians, to ease anti-Chinese tension in the country that could lead to unrest like the May 1998 riots.
When asked if such a policy would be discriminatory, he retorted: "Would you [Chinese Indonesians] prefer being discriminated against or would you prefer to be burned out and hunted down? It is easy for you because you can run away from the country with your money anytime there is trouble here."
Such remarks have not helped soften his image among the ethnic Chinese communities. Topping their concern is the fact that Mr Jusuf, himself a successful businessman, is seen as an influential person in the Yudhoyono administration.
While Dr Yudhoyono has been criticised for indecisiveness, many perceive Mr Jusuf as the person behind the appointment of tycoon Aburizal Bakrie to the post of Coordinating Minister for the Economy.
"The Vice-President is a very influential person – our concerns that he would influence public policies are not an over-reaction," said the chairman of the Association of Indonesians of Chinese Origins, Mr Eddy Lembong.
Local journalist Angie Tresnasari said Mr Jusuf's statement showed that Indonesians still saw their ethnic Chinese compatriots as outsiders.
"His statement seems like he wants the indigenous Indonesians to take over control of the economy," she said. "Not all Chinese are well-connected tycoons, there are many of us who are dirt-poor, they should be entitled to incentives just like their indigenous Indonesian compatriots."
Ethnic Chinese comprise about 3 per cent of the population but are believed to be in control of about 75 per cent of the economy.