Alwi reassures Malaysia over Gus Dur's comments

Alwi reassures Malaysia over Gus Dur's comments

JAKARTA (JP): No disrespect intended, none taken.

That was the conclusion of Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab after
meeting on Friday with Malaysian Ambassador Rastam Mohammad Isa
to discuss the meaning of an off-the-cuff statement made by
President Abdurrahman Wahid.

"The ambassador came to confirm his positive point of view
with what the President meant in his statement," Alwi said.

During a policy debate with the House of Representatives (DPR)
on Thursday, the President joked that finding ministers in
Malaysia was difficult because they were always playing golf.

"If you want to find them, find them on the golf course. Their
business affairs are conducted on the golf course," the President
said.

"The President's statement did not literally mean that
ministers in Malaysia spend most of their time playing golf,"
Alwi said.

He said the intent of the President's words were an expression
of hope that Indonesian ministers could follow the example of
their Malaysian counterparts, who delegated much of the technical
work to subordinates. Alwi said that in this way Malaysian
ministers had more time to focus on important policy issues.

Alwi said that misunderstandings surrounding the statement
were probably the result of incomplete media reports. He said the
President's words were mistakenly interpreted as politically
incorrect and of a mocking nature toward the Malaysian
government.

"Some media, both here and in Malaysia, reported the
President's statement from a negative point of view," he said.

Alwi emphasized that relations between the two neighboring
countries were very important. He said that given the political
situation in Malaysia, which has entered a campaign period in the
run-up to the general election scheduled for later this month,
Jakarta wanted to clarify the statement.

"Don't let the misinterpreted statement be used as campaign
material against Malaysian ministers," he said. (04)

The Malaysian ambassador could not be contacted for comment
Friday evening and the embassy's information counsellor when
asked by The Jakarta Post refused to comment on the meeting.