Alwi reassures Malaysia over Gus Dur's comments<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): No disrespect intended, none taken.<\/p>\n
That was the conclusion of Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab after
\nmeeting on Friday with Malaysian Ambassador Rastam Mohammad Isa
\nto discuss the meaning of an off-the-cuff statement made by
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
"The ambassador came to confirm his positive point of view
\nwith what the President meant in his statement," Alwi said.<\/p>\n
During a policy debate with the House of Representatives (DPR)
\non Thursday, the President joked that finding ministers in
\nMalaysia was difficult because they were always playing golf.<\/p>\n
"If you want to find them, find them on the golf course. Their
\nbusiness affairs are conducted on the golf course," the President
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"The President's statement did not literally mean that
\nministers in Malaysia spend most of their time playing golf,"
\nAlwi said.<\/p>\n
He said the intent of the President's words were an expression
\nof hope that Indonesian ministers could follow the example of
\ntheir Malaysian counterparts, who delegated much of the technical
\nwork to subordinates. Alwi said that in this way Malaysian
\nministers had more time to focus on important policy issues.<\/p>\n
Alwi said that misunderstandings surrounding the statement
\nwere probably the result of incomplete media reports. He said the
\nPresident's words were mistakenly interpreted as politically
\nincorrect and of a mocking nature toward the Malaysian
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
"Some media, both here and in Malaysia, reported the
\nPresident's statement from a negative point of view," he said.<\/p>\n
Alwi emphasized that relations between the two neighboring
\ncountries were very important. He said that given the political
\nsituation in Malaysia, which has entered a campaign period in the
\nrun-up to the general election scheduled for later this month,
\nJakarta wanted to clarify the statement.<\/p>\n
"Don't let the misinterpreted statement be used as campaign
\nmaterial against Malaysian ministers," he said. (04)<\/p>\n
The Malaysian ambassador could not be contacted for comment
\nFriday evening and the embassy's information counsellor when
\nasked by The Jakarta Post refused to comment on the meeting.<\/p>",
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