In this article The Majesties Yang Mulia Tiffany Tsao
By Sylviana Hamdani, originally published in Jakarta Post
Nov 12, 2026
Read the full article here. / Subscription may be required.
By Sylviana Hamdani, originally published in Jakarta Post
Nov 12, 2026
Originally published as The Majesties, Tiffany Tsao’s novel explores the secrets of a wealthy Chinese Indonesian family against the backdrop of Jakarta’s May 1998 turmoil.
Living as a Chinese-Indonesian in Indonesia has never been easy, even for the very wealthy. They are often perceived as insular, stingy and cold toward those outside their circles. Unfortunately, some of these stereotypes are not entirely unfounded.
In The Majesties (2020), recently published in Indonesian by Gramedia as Yang Mulia (2026), American writer of Chinese-Indonesian descent Tiffany Tsao tells the story of the Sulinados, a wealthy Chinese Indonesian family whose behavior appears to reinforce some of these stereotypes. Beneath their privileged lives, however, lie secrets and personal conflicts shaped in part by the country's turbulent political history.
Living as a Chinese-Indonesian in Indonesia has never been easy, even for the very wealthy. They are often perceived as insular, stingy and cold toward those outside their circles. Unfortunately, some of these stereotypes are not entirely unfounded.
In The Majesties (2020), recently published in Indonesian by Gramedia as Yang Mulia (2026), American writer of Chinese-Indonesian descent Tiffany Tsao tells the story of the Sulinados, a wealthy Chinese Indonesian family whose behavior appears to reinforce some of these stereotypes. Beneath their privileged lives, however, lie secrets and personal conflicts shaped in part by the country's turbulent political history.
Read the full article here. / Subscription may be required.
JP/Sylviana Hamdani
