ISLAM REALITAS: Journal of Islamic & Social Studies Vol. 5, No. 1, Januari-Juni 2019 Zaki Faddad SZ & Anisatul Mardiah 25 The Dynamic of Chinese and Malay Relation..... THE DYNAMIC OF MALAY-CHINESE RELATION IN CONTEMPORARY PALEMBANG Zaki Faddad Syarif Zain Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought, State Islamic University, Raden Fatah Palembang email: zakifaddad_uin@radenfatah.ac.id Anisatul Mardiah Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought, State Islamic University, Raden Fatah Palembang email: anisatulmardiah_uin@radenfatah.ac.id Diterima: 4 April 2019 Direvisi : 15 Juni 2019 Diterbitkan: 20 Juli 2019 Abstract This paper aims to determine the dynamics of Chinese and Malay relation in Palembang. This qualitative research is conducted with descriptive analytics. Data are obtained by interviews, documentation, and observation. This study engages the socio-historical approach, namely studying on the conflict and integration between Malays and Chinese in Palembang by looking at the history and the socio-politics. The research finds that the conflict between the two groups was strongly influenced by the political dynamics at the national level which spreads to Palembang. On the other hand, the process of integration between Chinese and Malays is unique and naturally integrated which is solved pragmatically The integration potentiality lies on the local narratives of a strong attachment between Malay and Chinese cultures. Keywords: Chinese, Malay, Conflict, Integration, Palembang Abstrak Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pasang surut relasi kelompok Tionghoa dan Melayu di tingkat lokal yaitu Palembang. Penelitian ini termasuk dalam penelitian kualitatif yang disajikan dengan deskriptif analitis. Data diperoleh dengan wawancara, dokumentasi dan observasi. Penelitian ini termasuk penelitian deskriptif kualitatif dengan pendekatan sosio historis, yaitu mengkaji konflik dan integrasi antara Melayu dan Tionghoa di Palembang dengan menilik pada sejarah dan kondisi sosial politik yang melatarbelakanginya Dari penelitian yang dilakukan ditemukan bahwa konflik antara kedua kelompok itu sangat dipengaruhi oleh dinamika politik di tingkat nasional (baca: yang terjadi di Jawa) yang berkembang hingga Palembang. Selanjutnya, integrasi antara Tionghoa dan Melayu memiliki keunikan tersendiri karena berjalan dengan natural didasarkan pada prinsip pragmatis. Sedangkan potensi integrasi dapat dilihat narasi-narasi keterikatan yang kuat antara Melayu dan Tionghoa yang menambah khazanah multikultural dari budaya Melayu Palembang itu sendiri. Kata Kunci: Tionghoa, Melayu, Konflik, Inegrasi, Palembang. Background Despite the fact that the existence of Chinese people who have already lived in Indonesia for centuries and have vast influenced Malay culture, the relationship between the two ethnic groups were not always in harmonious. Various discrimination is still experienced by this community because the process of integration with local residents is still hampered. 1 The politics of segregation during the Dutch colonial government until the New Order and the spread of negative 1 Setion, Benny, G., (2008), Tionghoa dalam Pusaran Politik, Jakarta: TransMedia, p. 43. Lihat juga Kodiran, Asimilasi Etnis Tionghoa Indonesia dan Implikasinya Terhadap Integrasi Nasional (Studi di Kota Tanjungbalai Provinsi Sumatera Utara) (Doctoral Dissertation, (Yogyakarta: Universitas Gadjah Mada 2012), p. 231.