Published: Wednesday October 7, 2009 MYT 1:17:00 PM

Humanitarian aid to Padang will continue: DPM

PUTRAJAYA: The mission to provide humanitarian aid to the victims of the earthquake in Padang, Indonesia, will continue although some people in that country still have a negative perception of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Wednesday.

The deputy prime minister said the humanitarian aspect must be viewed separately and the current conflict should not be allowed to affect any good deeds by Malaysia for those in need.

“As announced by the prime minister, we will not send (aid) if there is no green light or permission from the Indonesian authorities.

“To a certain extent, (the Malaysian team) has helped ease the situation in Padang and this is viewed in the context of the good relations between the two governments and between the peoples in general.

“We will not look at one, two groups, meaning that we take a confrontational stand or retaliate. We’re not like that.

“So, whatever aid from the humanitarian view point, as long as it is needed and has the approval of the Indonesian authorities, we will give and that is what we are doing first,” he told reporters after visiting a school here.

He was asked to comment on the negative statements and stance taken by some parties in Indonesia against Malaysia although it was the first country to extend humanitarian aid to the earthquake victims in Padang.

Muhyiddin said domestic matters should be left to the wisdom of the ruling party in Indonesia which was more skilled in running the affairs of the state.

“I believe they have a better understanding, and we hope that something is done so as not to jeopardise our good relations just because there are certain parties acting emotionally.

“I think we should leave it to the Indonesian authorities to take more appropriate steps. They know more about their internal affairs,” he said.

He said Malaysia would take precautionary measures and would not view any threat posed by certain groups in Indonesia lightly.

He said that although the tension was not caused by the Indonesian government, Malaysia would give attention to the matter because the issues had implications on bilateral relations between the two countries.

“We believe that the Indonesian government will take steps to ensure that such things are not easily done ... but we must be on the alert,” he said when commenting on a report that a group calling itself Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) would attack Malaysia on Thursday through Borneo island.

Muhyiddin said the Government had sent Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman to meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss the matter.

“Besides that, we have also taken steps, though not openly, to ease the situation. Because of that, the Indonesian president decided that after being sworn in as president, the first country that he would visit is Malaysia, and this gives Indonesia’s top leadership and the prime minister a chance to discuss the appropriate measures to be taken,” he said.

He said he believed that the Indonesian government did not want such matters to affect the important good relations between the two countries.

Asked on security control, Muhyiddin said the security forces were always on the alert because any threat from outside could not be taken lightly.

“We don’t want to regard lightly threats from any quarter. We haven’t had any big issues all this while. This is just the perception of a segment of Indonesian society who are unhappy, for whatever reason. Whether they are influenced by any party or have a plan, we’re not sure.

“But our relations with Indonesia continues as usual and the diplomatic line is still there. If there’s any action, we will go through diplomatic channels,” he said.

Asked about the threat allegedly received by the Malaysian humanitarian mission in Padang, he said the Government had not received a report on the matter because the area was a disaster area. -- Bernama

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