PUTRAJAYA: The burning of Malaysian flags by protesters in Jakarta does not reflect relations enjoyed between the two governments, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
The Prime Minister said he believed the Indonesian government was not involved in these incidents and neither did it initiate it.
“It is not something which was initiated by the Government. It is the act of certain groups of people who want to see uneasiness and problems in our relations.
“President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told me that he hopes for warm and cordial relations between the two countries. He will personally call me to talk about developments and recent happenings in Indonesia and Malaysia.
“In fact, he called to voice his intention of visiting Malaysia in October,” Najib told reporters after giving the prize to the winner of the 1Malaysia song contest yesterday.
There had been several protests against Malaysia in Jakarta of late over various issues, including allegations that the Malaysian national anthem — Negara Ku — had been copied from the Indonesian song Terang Bulan.
The most recent one occurred on Tuesday when some 30 students pelted the Malaysian Embassy with rotten eggs and attempted to raise an Indonesian flag at the gate.
The attack was reportedly triggered by allegations that a Balinese dance had been used to promote a television show about Malaysia, although it was revealed that no Malaysian government agency had a role in the advertisement.
Meanwhile, Information, Communications, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the Government would be organising a gathering of journalists from both countries to foster better media relations during Susilo’s official visit to Kuala Lumpur.
A Malaysian embassy official in Jakarta told The Star yesterday that no one was hurt in the incident but there have been regular demonstrations at the Malaysian Embassy over the last few months which hit the peak during the Ambalat dispute when Indonesia claimed that Malaysian warships had entered the Ambalat area in the Sulawesi sea in early June.
“The still ongoing demonstration is heavily guarded by police but no demonstrators were stopped or arrested,” said the embassy official.
In a related development, it is believed that the protest led to the mass attack on about 120 Malaysian websites by a group of Indonesian hackers in an act of spite against Malaysia which they claimed liked to steal their country’s culture.
In a statement from a blog titled “Terselubung”, the hackers said they “celebrated” Malaysia’s Independence Day on Monday by defacing the walls of local websites.
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