Scorned by Malaysia

Scorned by Malaysia

From Forum Keadilan

Our people, mainly workers, are often scorned in Malaysia.

I often wonder what should be done about it without sacrificing the existing good relations between the two countries.

I would like to see our officials, both in Indonesia and on assignment in Malaysia, take measures to solve the problem. The caricatures appearing in the Malaysian media paint a bad picture of Indonesians. I feel our nation is being trampled on.

Malaysian intellectuals are also concerned about the matter but are perplexed as to how to change the perception in their society about Indonesia.

I would like readers to contribute their thoughts which would be useful input in our efforts to defend our dignity and to ward off any scorn from another nation. We should remember that colonialism belongs in the past. We should deter any endeavor to colonize us economically, politically, socially, culturally, etc.

ARY RAHARJO

E-mail address: arian9@rocketmail.com