Twisting Yusril's words

Twisting Yusril's words

From Republika

The tense relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands as reported by the mass media recently was, in my view, due to the emotional and provocative response of Geert Wilders, a Dutch parliamentarian, to a Dutch reporter's interview with Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra.

Radio Nederland quoted Yusril as saying, "I have no grudge against the Dutch; I just don't like injustice. As they were unjust, so I hate them." It is the words "I hate them" that were twisted out of context by Geert Wilders, when he said, "the Indonesian minister hates the Dutch," which was later published by the local press and triggered a protracted polemic.

Geert Wilders should have quoted Yusril this way: "The Indonesian minister hates the Dutch or anybody else who is unjust," or "the Indonesian minister hates injustice".

Geert Wilders should open-heartedly offer his apology to Yusril Ihza Mahendra for this mistake.

HM SUKRANI SUKARI Jakarta