What Exactly “Indon” means?

I heard from my friend in Indonesia that “indon” (citation in Malaysia) is a humiliate title for Indonesian.

He said basically that citation is used for TKI (Indonesian Household Servant), means that it sounds insulting our nation.

Truly, before I went to Malaysia I also angry if Malaysian calls Indonesian as “indon”, because in my mind it has a negative meaning albeit I didn’t know what the reason was.

Later on when I was in Malaysia, I did an observations to find out why Malaysian say indon to Indonesian. And now from my observations I know that indon is just an easy citation for Indonesia. Moreover Malaysian calls me (with Indon) smile and friendly.

Despite some Malaysian said indon is for underestimated Indonesian.


So in this case, I conclude that about 20% Malaysian they say indon for underestimated Indonesian whereby the rest (80%) say indon because it is just an easy way to denominate Indonesian.

For example: some people say “nigger” to all African, not intends to underestimate but it just a nickname.

Actually, Indonesian it self call Dutch with “londo” (Negative meaning), and call Malaysian with Malay, Orang Melayu or Malingsia.

In fact, Malaysian disfavor to those citations (based on my observations)as Londo.


Those examples are just for analogy.

Then now I need your opinion. Does the word “Indon” proper to indicate Indonesian? Whereas Indonesian it self do the same thing to the other nations.

I state here, if the word Indon has a negative meaning to me/us as an Indonesian, why many Indonesian in Malaysia feel fine with that citation? Are they frightened because they are just a minor here? Or have they already realized that term indon is just an easy way to call Indonesian?

I don’t know.

Finally I say. For me it doesn’t matter for any other nations in this world call me as Indon or whatever, if only it is not accompanied with humiliating.