Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JAKARTA513
2008-03-13 07:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:
MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS -- INDONESIAN REACTION MUTED
how-toVZCZCXRO3589 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHJA #0513/01 0730745 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 130745Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8312 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4811 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2164 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1662 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4464 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1657 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2417 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2494 RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 0631 RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000513
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS. EAP/RSP, EAP/PD
NSC FOR E.PHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO ID MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS -- INDONESIAN REACTION MUTED
BUT HOPEFUL
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000513
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS. EAP/RSP, EAP/PD
NSC FOR E.PHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO ID MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS -- INDONESIAN REACTION MUTED
BUT HOPEFUL
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In the aftermath of Malaysia's elections,
the GOI has publicly underscored that relations will remain
stable and strong. Indonesian media and observers have been
less restrained, however, hailing the results as an important
step in Malaysia becoming a "real democracy." Indonesia
maintains a very complex relationship with Malaysia and will
continue to watch the situation closely. END SUMMARY
GOI REACTION IS MUTED
2. (U) In relatively muted fashion, Indonesian officials
have commented publicly on Malaysia's weekend election. In
brief remarks to reporters, Presidential Spokesman Dino
Djalal said President Yudhoyono expected Indonesia-Malaysia
relations to remain stable, despite unprecedented electoral
gains by opposition parties in Malaysia. He described
Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi as long-time
friends who would continue to work together.
3. (C) Gudadi Sasongko, Deputy Director for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),
told poloff that DEPLU had not yet issued any official
statement on the Malaysian elections. DEPLU had, however,
drafted formal congratulatory messages from Foreign Minister
Wirajuda to PM Abdullah and FM Hamid. FM Wirajuda, currently
on a four-nation trip with President Yudhoyono, might comment
on the election during his travels, according to Sasongko.
4. (C) Giving what he stressed were his personal views,
Sasongko said he welcomed the Malaysian opposition's
electoral gains. As a democracy, Indonesia hoped that its
northern neighbor would become more democratic. The ruling
party's losses were a sign that Malaysia was indeed becoming
more free, according to Sasongko.
OBSERVERS ARE UPBEAT
5. (U) The Indonesian media had no inhibitions about
commenting on Malaysia's election. An editorial in the
leading Bahasa Indonesia language daily newspaper "Kompas"
lauded the election results as a sign that Malaysia was
becoming a "true democracy" that "respects difference and
upholds tolerance." Indonesians also took some credit for
developments in the neighboring country. Long-time
Indonesian commentator and former envoy Des Alwi (who
maintains close links with Malaysia) commented in the
"Jakarta Post" that Malaysia had finally learned from
Indonesia's own experience of reform and democratization.
6. (U) Legislators got into the act too. The "Jakarta Post"
quoted Abdillah Toha, a member of parliament's (DPR)
Commission I responsible for foreign affairs and defense, as
saying he hoped the election would lead to a more
"independent" Malaysian legislature. Current Malaysian
parliamentarians, he claimed, "just did what the government
said."
7. (C) The Indonesian human rights community and other
observers also welcomed the Malaysian election results.
Human rights activist Tri Agus told Dep/Pol/C that some of
the newly-elected parliamentarians from Anwar Ibrahim's Parti
Keadilan Rakyat were well connected to the human rights
community in Indonesia. He said the election would create a
better environment for human rights throughout the region.
8. (C) Yenny Wahid, a party leader and daughter of former
president Wahid (a noted liberal),told Pol/C on March 11
that "Indonesia has moved toward democracy and tolerance in
the past ten years and it is high time that Malaysia did,
too." Commenting on Anwar Ibrahim, she stated: "The
treatment accorded Anwar was terrible. It is good for ASEAN
that he is back."
INDONESIA WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR
JAKARTA 00000513 002 OF 002
9. (C) Indonesia maintains a very complex relationship with
Malaysia. While the two maintain close trade ties and get
along well in ASEAN, many Indonesians feel that its migrant
laborers are mistreated and that Malaysians look down on
Indonesia, a perspective that sometimes sparks demonstrations
here. Liberally-inclined Indonesians involved in civil
society, in particular, seem to be very enthused by the
election results. As the situation unfolds, Indonesians will
likely continue to monitor and try to read the tea leaves on
where their wealthy neighbor is headed.
HUME
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS. EAP/RSP, EAP/PD
NSC FOR E.PHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO ID MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS -- INDONESIAN REACTION MUTED
BUT HOPEFUL
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In the aftermath of Malaysia's elections,
the GOI has publicly underscored that relations will remain
stable and strong. Indonesian media and observers have been
less restrained, however, hailing the results as an important
step in Malaysia becoming a "real democracy." Indonesia
maintains a very complex relationship with Malaysia and will
continue to watch the situation closely. END SUMMARY
GOI REACTION IS MUTED
2. (U) In relatively muted fashion, Indonesian officials
have commented publicly on Malaysia's weekend election. In
brief remarks to reporters, Presidential Spokesman Dino
Djalal said President Yudhoyono expected Indonesia-Malaysia
relations to remain stable, despite unprecedented electoral
gains by opposition parties in Malaysia. He described
Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi as long-time
friends who would continue to work together.
3. (C) Gudadi Sasongko, Deputy Director for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),
told poloff that DEPLU had not yet issued any official
statement on the Malaysian elections. DEPLU had, however,
drafted formal congratulatory messages from Foreign Minister
Wirajuda to PM Abdullah and FM Hamid. FM Wirajuda, currently
on a four-nation trip with President Yudhoyono, might comment
on the election during his travels, according to Sasongko.
4. (C) Giving what he stressed were his personal views,
Sasongko said he welcomed the Malaysian opposition's
electoral gains. As a democracy, Indonesia hoped that its
northern neighbor would become more democratic. The ruling
party's losses were a sign that Malaysia was indeed becoming
more free, according to Sasongko.
OBSERVERS ARE UPBEAT
5. (U) The Indonesian media had no inhibitions about
commenting on Malaysia's election. An editorial in the
leading Bahasa Indonesia language daily newspaper "Kompas"
lauded the election results as a sign that Malaysia was
becoming a "true democracy" that "respects difference and
upholds tolerance." Indonesians also took some credit for
developments in the neighboring country. Long-time
Indonesian commentator and former envoy Des Alwi (who
maintains close links with Malaysia) commented in the
"Jakarta Post" that Malaysia had finally learned from
Indonesia's own experience of reform and democratization.
6. (U) Legislators got into the act too. The "Jakarta Post"
quoted Abdillah Toha, a member of parliament's (DPR)
Commission I responsible for foreign affairs and defense, as
saying he hoped the election would lead to a more
"independent" Malaysian legislature. Current Malaysian
parliamentarians, he claimed, "just did what the government
said."
7. (C) The Indonesian human rights community and other
observers also welcomed the Malaysian election results.
Human rights activist Tri Agus told Dep/Pol/C that some of
the newly-elected parliamentarians from Anwar Ibrahim's Parti
Keadilan Rakyat were well connected to the human rights
community in Indonesia. He said the election would create a
better environment for human rights throughout the region.
8. (C) Yenny Wahid, a party leader and daughter of former
president Wahid (a noted liberal),told Pol/C on March 11
that "Indonesia has moved toward democracy and tolerance in
the past ten years and it is high time that Malaysia did,
too." Commenting on Anwar Ibrahim, she stated: "The
treatment accorded Anwar was terrible. It is good for ASEAN
that he is back."
INDONESIA WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR
JAKARTA 00000513 002 OF 002
9. (C) Indonesia maintains a very complex relationship with
Malaysia. While the two maintain close trade ties and get
along well in ASEAN, many Indonesians feel that its migrant
laborers are mistreated and that Malaysians look down on
Indonesia, a perspective that sometimes sparks demonstrations
here. Liberally-inclined Indonesians involved in civil
society, in particular, seem to be very enthused by the
election results. As the situation unfolds, Indonesians will
likely continue to monitor and try to read the tea leaves on
where their wealthy neighbor is headed.
HUME