Easing tension

Easing tension

Tension has built up very fast between Indonesia and Malaysia. People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais criticized Malaysia for caning undocumented Indonesian workers. Malaysia's foreign minister Syeh Hamid Albar responded with no less acrimony. Then, police in Medan arrested 19 Malaysians tourists and a number of protesters demonstrated in front of Malaysia's embassy in Jakarta and tore down the front gates of the embassy compound.

This is the most tension between Indonesia and Malaysia since Konfrontasi, or Confrontation, during president Sukarno's administration. This tension is actually unnecessary as the two countries have been making diplomatic efforts to be able to see eye to eye on this matter. Malaysia, for example, is ready to accept some documented Indonesian workers. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla said the agreement would be signed in September this year.

In fact, the tension stems from Malaysia's plan to severely punish Indonesians and non-Indonesians violating its manpower regulations.

Indonesia must respect Malaysia's laws. Different countries have different laws. It would be better for the government to protest the inhuman treatment of legal Indonesian females working in the Middle East.

-- Koran Tempo