Singapore paper rebuts Habibie<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (Reuters): Singapore's New Paper took Indonesian
\nPresident B.J. Habibie to task on Wednesday for reportedly saying
\nethnic Malays could not be military officers in the city-state.<\/p>\n
Habibie was quoted as saying in an interview with Taiwan media
\npublished and broadcast this week: \"In Singapore, if you are a
\nMalay, you can never become a military officer.<\/p>\n
\"They are the real racists, not here. You can go and check it
\nout.\"<\/p>\n
In a comment on the remarks, the tabloid New Paper, part of
\nthe government-linked Singapore Press Holdings publishing
\nmonopoly, said: \"Obviously there is something about Singapore
\nthat irks Dr Habibie. How else do you explain his latest outburst
\nagainst Singapore?\"<\/p>\n
With its commentary the New Paper ran pictures of a Malay
\nlieutenant-colonel and air force pilot, data showing increasing
\nnumbers of Malay officers in the Singapore armed forces, and
\nquotes from members of Singapore's parliament, including a Malay,
\ndisputing Habibie's remarks.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Education Minister Juwono Sudarsono, visiting
\nSingapore for a conference, defended Habibie on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"I think Singaporean leaders understand that President Habibie
\nhas a lot of learning and unlearning to do about Singapore,\"
\nSingapore state television's Teletext service quoted Juwono as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
He said the president might not have known there were Malay
\nofficers in the Singapore armed forces and might have been
\nmisinformed.<\/p>\n
\"He may know a lot about technology but he may not know about
\nthe social and economic context and since he's a bubbly person,
\nthe president, I think Singaporeans will understand,\" Juwono
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Juwono said he was confident that Habibie's remarks would not
\nsour relations between the two neighbors.<\/p>\n
The New Paper cited other critical comments Habibie had made
\nabout Singapore since taking office in May, and suggested he
\n\"must be wondering why his closest neighbor is relatively
\nunscathed\" by the regional economic crisis.<\/p>\n
\"Wondering about it is ok. Talking about it is also ok. But to
\nbe upset or green-eyed about it? Well, we hope it is not that.\"
\n\"With general elections and presidential elections casting a dark
\nshadow on the political players in Indonesia, Singapore can
\nalways be used as the convenient whipping boy,\" the newspaper
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Of Singapore's citizens, some 77 percent are ethnic Chinese,
\n14 percent Malay and 7 percent Indian.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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