Monday June 25, 2012

Indonesian envoy to be summoned over attacks

KUALA LUMPUR: Wisma Putra will summon the Indonesian embassy’s charge d’affaires to express the Government’s serious concern over the violent acts by protesters at Malaysia Hall and provocative remarks by an Indonesian politician in Jakarta.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said the meeting today follows two protest notes sent to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry last Friday.

“The Malaysian Government views with serious concern the attack against Malaysia’s interest in Indonesia and the provocative comments by an Indonesian MP in a MetroTV programme, Neo Democrazy on June 21,” Anifah said.

A group of about 50 Indonesians hurled stones and pieces of wood at the Malaysia Hall building in Jakarta on Friday, damaging parts of it and injuring a security guard.

They had earlier held a protest outside the Malaysian embassy, about 5km away, where they burned the Malaysian flag and threw eggs into the compound.

The group was protesting Malaysia’s decision to recognise two traditional north Sumatran musical items – the Tor-tor dance and the Gordang Sambilan musical ensemble – as part of the national heritage.

Anifah said Malaysia believed that with the strong and special bilateral ties, the Indonesian government would take appropriate measures in addressing the violent acts and provocative statements.

In one of its protest notes to the Indonesian Foreign Minstry, Malaysia urged the republic to take immediate measures to avoid any more provocative acts.

It expressed “deep regret” that the Malaysian embassy continued to be a target of anarchic action.

Along with the protest note, the Malaysian embassy provided CCTV footage and photographs of the incident as well as a copy of a police report lodged over the attack.

Meanwhile, Malaysians on Twitter responded with surprise and, in some cases, amusement, to tweets by irate Indonesians over the issue.

Twitter user @RueShenLee posted: “It is awkward when Indonesians said Malaysians stole their Tor-Tor dance and Malaysians are like – ‘what on earth is a Tor-Tor dance?’ ”

Users also spoke out on the insults hurled by Indonesians through the trending topic of #MalaysiaMiskinBudaya.

“#MalaysiaMiskinBudaya? Hello, we Malaysians DON’T even know what Tor-Tor means,” said user @Syakee.

User @NabyllahZin tweeted: “If Tor-Tor dance is yours, it will always be yours. You’re wasting your time insulting Malaysia.”

More News