Ms. Chui Thjai Mie, first Indonesian Chinese woman to become mayor

She won in Singkawan (West Kalimantan) defeating three competitors. She follows Confucianism. The city is majority Chinese, where everyone speaks the Hakka language. 

Singkawang (AsiaNews) - Although there is still no final data from local elections, it is certain that the city of Singkawan will have a record: for the first time in Indonesia's history there will be a woman mayor and of Chinese descent, Ms. Thjai Chui Mie.

During the February 15 regional elections February 15, Mie beat three other competitors. To her credit she has a respectable career in politics, having won a seat in the Regional Assembly and been President of the regional parliament for two parliamentary mandates. Ms. Mie follows Confucianism (I Kong Cu).

In general the minority in Indonesia, citizens of Chinese origin count for around 1.2%. Singkawan is the second most important economic center in West Kalimanta and as the provincial capital, Pontianak, has a Chinese majority of 70% among the residents, so much so it has been named the "Chinese City".

Usually in Java and in big cities, the Chinese occupy important posts in the commercial sector or in other strategic segments of the economy. But Singkawan also finds Chinese working as cheap laborers, taxi drivers and farmers. The local language is the Hakka or Tiochew, even though everyone knows the national language, Bahasa Indonesia.

Singkawan is famous also because 15 days after the Chinese New Year it holds the festival of the "Cap Go Meh". 

• Indonesia
• regional elections
• west kalimantan
• Chinese ethnicity
• singkawan