RI Muslim leaders in KL on peace mission
RI Muslim leaders in KL on peace mission
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Four Indonesian Muslim leaders are in Kuala Lumpur for talks with
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to help mend
fences following a border dispute between the two countries.
The visit by Said Aqiel Siradj of Nahdlatul Ulama, Din
Syamsuddin of Muhammadyah, Cholil Badawi of the Indonesian
Islamic Propagation Council and Nazri Adlani of the Indonesian
Ulema's Council comes amid heightened tensions between Malaysia
and Indonesia.
"We expect this meeting will take place in the spirit of
Muslim brotherhood, and we believe that Pak Badawi will
understand our mission," Said Aqiel told The Jakarta Post before
departing for Malaysia on Sunday.
Malaysia chairs the Organization of Islamic Conference, of
which Indonesia is a member.
The Indonesian Muslim leaders are scheduled to meet with
Badawi on Monday, before holding talks with their Malaysian
counterparts.
Indonesia and Malaysia have both staked claims to the Ambalat
maritime area in the Sulawesi Sea. The area is believed to be
rich in oil and gas deposits.
Leaders of the two countries have said they want a peaceful
settlement of the dispute, but both Indonesia and Malaysia have
maintained a military presence in the disputed area.
In addition to warships, the Indonesian Navy has deployed
members of an elite unit to the Karang Unarang reef in the
Ambalat offshore area. They are there to help build a lighthouse
to mark Indonesia's sovereignty over the territory.
The border dispute is one of the biggest tests of the close
bilateral ties between Indonesia and Malaysia since a
confrontation between the two countries in 1963 over areas of
Borneo island, which the countries share.
Malaysia and Indonesia co-founded the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967.
Separately, Indonesian cleric Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid
called on the government to show restraint and seek a peaceful
solution to the dispute.
"Dialog is the best way to settle this problem. Don't be
frightened, but don't attack Malaysia," the former president
said as quoted by Antara.
Despite these calls for peace, about 100 people from the
Suicide Force continued training in a forest in Sukojember
village, Jember, East Java, for "war with Malaysia".
"We are preparing in case the state calls us to fight
Malaysia. I expect more volunteers to take part in the training,"
said the group's leader, Yusuf Sumarno, adding that some 1,000
people had expressed interest in joining the group.
Holding sharp weapons and waving Indonesian flags, the
volunteers went through a series of military exercises. They also
drank what they called "holy water", which they said would give
them supernatural powers.