On the word "Indon"

I got asked this question today by an Indonesian: Why do Malaysians call Indonesian people "Indon"? Obviously the term "Indon" is alien--and not to add, pejorative--to majority of Indonesians as they generally addressed themselves as Indo. Even the term Indo itself is fraught with historical reference that I think a lot of Indonesians are not well aware of. Back in the colonial days the term Indo was used to describe a group of mixed-blood people within the rigid social hierarchy. At the top was the pure (totok) Dutch people and followed by Indo, indigenous people (pribumi), and foreigners (Chinese, Indians, etc), respectively. Dutch and Indo people were considered citizens of the Dutch empire and were subjected to its laws and privileges. They were the elite group at the top of the food chain. Indos were usually the mixed children (blasteran in Indonesian slang) of Dutch men and local indigenous women; offspring from Dutch women and local indigenous men were never heard of and most likely never existed.

But back to the controversial issue of the term "Indon" and how did the term came to be used as it is right now. Most Malaysians (and Singaporeans too) use the term "Indon" to either describe the country Indonesia or its people. I tried to search on the internet the etymology of "Indon" but to no avail. Nobody knows who first coined this term and when it was first used by Malaysians to describe Indonesia and its people. The term itself, on the surface, is harmless and most people who use it harbor no ill-will toward Indonesia and its people. But true to the old French adage "the only thing that is constant is change," the term "Indon" embodies multi-layered meanings which can be interchangeably employed in various social contexts.

At its most basic level "Indon" is just a prosaic term used by Malaysians to describe Indonesia and its people. No malicious intent involved and its usage is as common as using the word "India" to describe Indians and "Cina" to describe Chinese people. By the way, the term "Cina" is perceived as derogatory for some people in Indonesia whereas in Malaysia it's considered a mundane term to use. But I digress. I argue that it is within this general context that Malaysians used the term "Indon." I've asked many Malaysians why they use the term "Indon" and do they have strong feelings about using it (by feelings I mean a palpable sense of hostility and an air of supremacy). Not surprisingly their answer is because everybody in Malaysia uses the term, that they think it is a harmless term to use, and that they in no way implying by using the term they are denigrating the Indonesian people. It then begs the question if this term can really be used free of prejudice and in such an amoral context?

But as with other pejorative ethnic/racial terms, the use of 'Indon" has to be coupled with certain socio-political-economic conditions in order to imbue it with specific values. The ethnic terms like "Paki" or "Jap" come to mind. I shudder with sheer horror whenever somebody uses these short-hand terms but like the term "Indon," they claim to mean no foul and plead ignorance, however politically-incorrect those terms are. On the other hand, one also has to be aware of ethnic terms that are distinctly derogatory like niggers, honkies, chinks, wops, spics, and kikes (American slurs used to describe Blacks, Whites, Chinese, Italians, Hispanics and Jews, respectively), which are always used knowingly and explicitly as insulting remarks.

That the term "Indon" comes laden with negative connotation in Malaysia and Indonesia is a result of tenuous relationship between the two countries and their people. A lot of Malaysians see Indonesians as poor, backward and unsophisticated people who come to Malaysia to take away jobs from the locals and commit acts of crimes along the way. A lot of Indonesians, on the contrary, see Malaysians as arrogant and exploitative people. When the term "Indon" is used in this context, then it can be deemed as a pejorative and should be roundly condemned. I have to admit that most Malaysians associate the term "Indon" with poor and unsophisticated Indonesians, which qualifies it as a negative term in itself, but then most Malaysians have never even set foot in Indonesia or have any real Indonesian friends. Their point of reference when it comes to describing Indonesians is the Indonesian migrant workers they see in Malaysia, which in turn colors their understanding of the term "Indon": "Indon" equals poor and simple Indonesian villagers, and therefore it's perfectly acceptable for the status-conscious types to look down on them. As the thinking goes, even the poorest of Malaysians are well-off compared to the Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. This is obviously wrong but sadly is true, even for some Malaysians who claim to be "non-prejudice." Like racism, xenophobia can also be a latent force that creeps up on people unexpectedly and rather surreptitiously.

What to do now? Well, the term "Indon," for all intents and purposes, has become a part of Malaysian lexicon, as much as Indonesians might hate that word and want it to be abolished. The term is not going anywhere and I think Indonesian people need to accept this as an irreversible fact. But the meanings of words change all the time, and what used to be taboo is now acceptable, and vice-versa. So, what a person needs to do now is to address the root causes of this negative connotation and alter its meaning to reflect a more objective and enlightened view. For starter, let's improve the relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia and make the people in both countries recognize that we have shared culture, language and history, and that our destinies are inextricably intertwined. For as long as the socio-economic imbalance and mutual distrust exist, the term "Indon" will always be corrupted by the insidious by-products of the relationship between the two countries. There might a time in the future when the word "Indon" will be worn as a badge of pride and honor by the citizens of a prosperous and politically stable Indonesia, which enjoys a harmonious relationship with its neighboring countries. We can only hope.