Lesson from past defeats

Lesson from past defeats

From Media Indonesia

Indonesia has lost three parts of its territory -- East Timor, and the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan -- and now the Ambalat offshore oil and gas block is being claimed by Malaysia thereby posing a big problem to our unitary state.

If the government yields to other countries, more islands will later be claimed. Has Indonesia's position as the most corrupt nation made it feel inferior and thus regarded with contempt?

As a big nation, Indonesia must make all-out attempts to guard the Ambalat block against any threat. The majority of our people are prepared to defend the territorial waters.

Indonesia's first president Sukarno once firmly declared that the nation was against acts of humiliation by any country. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should follow in the footsteps of Sukarno.

BACHRUDIN Jakarta