EPG Proposes Seminar On Malaysia-Indonesia Cultural Roots

Indonesia-Malaysia Eminent Prominent Group (EPG)

Jakarta - The Malaysia-Indonesia Eminent Persons Group (EPG), which is set to submit its inaugural report to leaders of both countries on Tuesday, has recommended that a seminar be held to showcase the cultural roots of the peoples of Malaysia and Indonesia.

Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Zainal Abidin Mohamed Zain said the EPG would submit the report to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Malaysia-Indonesia annual consultation at the Istana Negara here.

"This is the sixth annual consultation involving leaders of both countries," he told Bernama on Monday.

Zainal Abidin said Abdullah and Susilo would also open the seminar themed "Raising the Collective Memory of the Race" which the EPG had recommended in its report.

The seminar would touch on the history of friendship, heritage and culture of the peoples of Indonesia and Malaysia who shared similar cultural roots, he said.

He said that the seminar would show that both countries once shared similar roots before going separate ways due to various events in their long history.

It would be attended by academicians and historians from both countries, he added.

"We share similar heritage... this is important for the younger generation to realise so that they no longer need to engage in war of words on the Internet on issues which should not be blown out of proportion," he said.

Similar seminar had also been planned in Malaysia, he said, adding that it was important to organise such a seminar continuously for the benefit of both countries‘ younger generations.

Zainal Abidin declined to reveal the other EPG recommendations.

EPG Malaysia is headed by former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam while former Vice-President Gen Try Sutrisno heads EPG Indonesia. Mohd Nasir Yusoff

Source: Bernama.com (March 16^th, 2009)
Photo: PresidenSBY.info

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