Malaysia-Indonesia to meet over ‘vigilante squads’

PETALING JAYA: Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman is meeting his Indonesian counterpart Hasan Wirajuda next Thursday following reports of “vigilante squads” and rising anger among some groups in Indonesia.
The meeting in Jakarta takes place after newspapers reported that a group of Indonesians threatened to use sharpened bamboo on Malaysians using Jalan Diponegoro, a plush area in Menteng in the Indonesian capital.
Anifah told The Star that the Cabinet discussed the matter Wednesday and he was directed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to handle the matter.
“When I meet my Indonesian counterpart, I will express Malaysia’s concern and want assurance that the Indonesian authorities can guarantee the safety of Malaysians over there,” he said when contacted in Putrajaya.
Anifah said he would also summon the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia, Da’i Bachtiar, to express Malaysia’s concern.
Some groups in Indonesians have been expressing their anger by demonstrating in front of the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta almost daily over the last few weeks. They pelted rotten eggs at the embassy building last week after Malaysia was accused of “stealing” the Balinese pendet dance in a promotion of Malaysia aired by the Discovery Channel.
The channel has apologised, saying it was at fault for using the dance in its promotional clip and that the Malaysian Government was not to blame.
Over the years, Kuala Lumpur has been accused many times of “stealing Indonesian culture,” includings its songs and dances.

tunku : over the years, we have been feeding them, we have been robbed by them, killed, raped etc by them on our soil.it is us who supposed to demonstrate against them.the vigilante squads wants to sweep Malaysian in indonesia which would hardly be by thousands but they forget that we can clean sweep by millions here in Malaysia.Kuala Lumpur must ask jakarta to act fast against those idiots squads before things can get worst.