PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has relayed its concern over the safety of its citizens to the Indonesian government as anger among the people in the republic escalates due to slanderous reports by the media.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he had conveyed the Government’s concern to the Indonesian Eminent Persons Group (EPG) leader and former vice-president Tri Sutrisno.
“He has promised to convey our message of concern to his government.
“Also, the Indonesian Ambassador here (Da’i Bachtiar) has told me that Indonesia would take measures to ensure that no untoward incident would happen to Malaysians (in Indonesia),” he told reporters after breaking fast with Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials.
Anger among small groups of people in Jakarta reached a serious stage following recent reportsthat more than 300 people have registered as volunteers to “crush” Malaysia.
Newspapers reported that a group of Indonesians had threatened to use sharpened bamboo on Malaysians at Jalan Diponegoro in the plush Menteng area in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman yesterday summoned Da’i Bachtiar to Wisma Putra, expressing Malaysia’s regret over the actions by certain quarters in Indonesia aimed at causing misunderstandings between the countries.
He said such actions could affect bilateral relations which had been nurtured for so long.
“The ministry has urged the Indonesian government to take the appropriate step to protect the welfare of Malaysians in Indonesia and to curb the aggressive actions there.”
He will meet his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda in Jakarta next Thursday over reports of vigilante squads looking for Malaysians to harm.
It is understood that police presence has been heightened around the Malaysian embassy in Kuningan.
Indonesian groups have been demonstrating in front of the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta almost daily after Malaysia was accused of stealing the Balinese pendet dance in a promotion of Malaysia aired by the Discovery Channel.
The channel has since apologised and said it was at fault.
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