Once again about East Timor

East Timor is part of our past, but it will also be part of our future. Therefore, we have to be tactical, smart and wise to play a role in building bilateral relations with the new nation.

Since the beginning, we have been on the right track. President Megawati Soekarnoputri visited the nation on its independence day despite polemics and controversy at home.

Xanana knows well how to attract sympathy. He visited Indonesia when he had just been elected as the nation's first president. He met several government officials, including President Megawati, inviting them to attend his country's declaration of independence.

And he was supposed to arrive on an official visit here yesterday but it was postponed. The Indonesian government said the reason behind the delay was the absence of an appropriate schedule.

If that is indeed the reason, it is understandable. But, if it is caused by the unpreparedness of our government to see the national flags of the two countries hoisted side by side and the national anthems sung together, it is really a narrow reason.

Few members of the MPR have plans to question the President with regard to her visit to East Timor. But, hopefully, it is not because of such a plan that Mega became awkward in receiving Xanana.

The right to summon the head of the executive body is a democratic process in executive-legislative relations. Let it be so. But this nation has to look forward. We have already lost credibility over East Timor. It is true that we are big, but not because of smartness and wisdom. We have become like a dumb giant.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta