ID :
79210
Thu, 09/10/2009 - 08:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/79210
The shortlink copeid
FOREIGN MINISTRY DEPLORES SWEEPS AGAINST MALAYSIANS IN JAKARTA
Jakarta, Sept 9 (ANTARA) - Indonesia's foreign ministry deplores the sweeps against Malaysian citizens conducted by some people on Jalan Diponegoro, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.
"The foreign ministry condemns the action which did not only disrupt public order but also could damage Indonesia's image in the eye of the international community," the ministry's spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, said here on Wednesday.
He said the Indonesian people should respond to the issue of Malaysian claims over Indonesian cultural property "with a cool head and not emotionally."
"It is better to settle all issues peacefully through diplomatic channels or talks," he said.
Faizasyah hoped the incident would not recur.
Several Malaysia media had reported the sweep was done by some people wielding sharpened bamboo stalks.
They also reported that some demonstrators in Yogyakarta had pelted rotten eggs at houses accommodating Malaysian students, following Indonesian media reports that Malaysia had claimed the "Pendet" dance.
Harian Malaysia meanwhile had carried an interview with Indonesian citizens in Riau, North Sumatra, Dumai and Sulawesi who said that the anti-Malaysian demonstrations in Indonesia were done by a small group of people and therefore need not be responded to seriously as they did not represent the whole people.
Malaysian Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim had appealed to the Malaysian government and people not to stage demonstrations in front of the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
"Although Malaysian flags were burned, our embassy in Jakarta was pelted with rotten eggs and stones we will not retaliate by similar acts on the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur," he said in the company of Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia Da'i Bachtiar.
He said Malaysia would not answer the sweep in Jakarta with similar action because it still wished to maintain its relationships with Indonesia.
Prof Dr Hikmahanto Juwana of the University of Indonesia said there had been a misunderstanding regarding the use of Indonesian cultural property by Malaysia and the government had to give clarifications about it.
"The government must neutralize the situation and prevent the Indonesian public from hating Malaysia by giving clear explanations about it," he said to ANTARA.
He said the depiction of the "Pendet" dance in a Malaysian tourism advertisement did not mean that Malaysia had claimed the property, neither was this the case when Malaysia mentioned Jemur island in another of its tourism promotion advertisements.
"So a lot of the responses have emerged out of wrong perceptions including among officials that have made the people conclude that Malaysia has indeed claimed the properties," he said.
Therefore, Hikmahanto said, it was time for the government to communicate with the pulic and straighten out the wrong perceptions.
The government had to call on the people not to resort to unilateral actions because the problem would be settled government to government. "In the case of conflicts, the people must not be involved. We cannot blame Malaysian citizens here for their government's stance," he said.
He said the Indonesian government also had to communicate with the Malaysian government regarding sensitive issues. "Show the Indonesian public there is dialogue between the two governments to settle the differences of view," he said.
In the dialogue Indonesia must also ask Malaysia to localize the problems so that they would not affect other areas.
Citing an example, he said the government must prevent the case of violence on migrant worker Siti Hajar, for example, from affecting Malaysian investment in the country.
Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Commission on foreign affairs, security and information, Yusron Ihza Mahendra, called for the settlement of problems in Indonesia-Malaysia relations in a civilized manner.
"As a people's representative, I call on those conducting sweeps to exercise restraint. Do not act out of line," he said.
He appealed to security authorities to take quick action against actions that could lead to anarchy.
"The government with its apparatus must immediately respond to any developments in the community and conduct diplomatic talks with Malaysia," he said. ***5***
"The foreign ministry condemns the action which did not only disrupt public order but also could damage Indonesia's image in the eye of the international community," the ministry's spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, said here on Wednesday.
He said the Indonesian people should respond to the issue of Malaysian claims over Indonesian cultural property "with a cool head and not emotionally."
"It is better to settle all issues peacefully through diplomatic channels or talks," he said.
Faizasyah hoped the incident would not recur.
Several Malaysia media had reported the sweep was done by some people wielding sharpened bamboo stalks.
They also reported that some demonstrators in Yogyakarta had pelted rotten eggs at houses accommodating Malaysian students, following Indonesian media reports that Malaysia had claimed the "Pendet" dance.
Harian Malaysia meanwhile had carried an interview with Indonesian citizens in Riau, North Sumatra, Dumai and Sulawesi who said that the anti-Malaysian demonstrations in Indonesia were done by a small group of people and therefore need not be responded to seriously as they did not represent the whole people.
Malaysian Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim had appealed to the Malaysian government and people not to stage demonstrations in front of the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
"Although Malaysian flags were burned, our embassy in Jakarta was pelted with rotten eggs and stones we will not retaliate by similar acts on the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur," he said in the company of Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia Da'i Bachtiar.
He said Malaysia would not answer the sweep in Jakarta with similar action because it still wished to maintain its relationships with Indonesia.
Prof Dr Hikmahanto Juwana of the University of Indonesia said there had been a misunderstanding regarding the use of Indonesian cultural property by Malaysia and the government had to give clarifications about it.
"The government must neutralize the situation and prevent the Indonesian public from hating Malaysia by giving clear explanations about it," he said to ANTARA.
He said the depiction of the "Pendet" dance in a Malaysian tourism advertisement did not mean that Malaysia had claimed the property, neither was this the case when Malaysia mentioned Jemur island in another of its tourism promotion advertisements.
"So a lot of the responses have emerged out of wrong perceptions including among officials that have made the people conclude that Malaysia has indeed claimed the properties," he said.
Therefore, Hikmahanto said, it was time for the government to communicate with the pulic and straighten out the wrong perceptions.
The government had to call on the people not to resort to unilateral actions because the problem would be settled government to government. "In the case of conflicts, the people must not be involved. We cannot blame Malaysian citizens here for their government's stance," he said.
He said the Indonesian government also had to communicate with the Malaysian government regarding sensitive issues. "Show the Indonesian public there is dialogue between the two governments to settle the differences of view," he said.
In the dialogue Indonesia must also ask Malaysia to localize the problems so that they would not affect other areas.
Citing an example, he said the government must prevent the case of violence on migrant worker Siti Hajar, for example, from affecting Malaysian investment in the country.
Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Commission on foreign affairs, security and information, Yusron Ihza Mahendra, called for the settlement of problems in Indonesia-Malaysia relations in a civilized manner.
"As a people's representative, I call on those conducting sweeps to exercise restraint. Do not act out of line," he said.
He appealed to security authorities to take quick action against actions that could lead to anarchy.
"The government with its apparatus must immediately respond to any developments in the community and conduct diplomatic talks with Malaysia," he said. ***5***
