18 sepember 2009 01:00

Indonesia, M`sia FMs Meet

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda (right) told
reporters after a meeting with his Malaysian counterpart
that he and Anifah Aman agreed to avoid
`sensitive issues` such as staking claims to each others cultures.

Jakarta - The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Malaysia met on Thursday to smooth over a heated feud between the two countries over the `theft` of a traditional Balinese dance.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told reporters after a meeting with his Malaysian counterpart that he and Anifah Aman agreed to avoid `sensitive issues` such as staking claims to each others cultures.

`We agreed that, as close neighbours, some cultural heritage in Indonesia is also found in Malaysia and some Malay culture is also in Indonesia,` he said.

`We shouldn`t be too sensitive... because arts and culture have universal tendencies,` he added.

The dispute erupted in Indonesia in August after erroneous reports emerged that Malaysia had screened tourism advertisements featuring the traditional `pendet` dance of Indonesia`s Hindu-majority Bali island.

The ad was actually a promotion for a Discovery Channel programme, but this did little to quell a media-fuelled rage in Indonesia that saw protesters vow to `crush Malaysia` and vigilante sweeps aimed at rounding up Malaysians.

`I don`t even know what pendet dance is. We`ve never claimed that the pendet dance belongs to Malaysians. It was a mistake of the Discovery Channel, they`ve clarified to us and we`ve accepted their explanation,` Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah said.

`Our cultural products may have similarities. That shouldn`t be a problem and any problems can be discussed amicably,` he said.

Ties between the two countries are regularly punctuated by rows over cultural issues as well as the welfare of Indonesian labourers and maids working in Malaysia.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com

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