KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia-Indonesia bilateral relations remain cordial despite hiccups over isolated humanitarian issues, said Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Tan Sri Da'i Bachtiar.
"Definitely there are minor problems involving Indonesian workers like the Siti Hajar's maid abuse case but it is a remote issue which should not become the main focus.
"Indonesia has the manpower while Malaysia needs workers in its development stride. So both countries need one each other. It should be seen in this light," he told reporters on the sideline of the Malaysia-Indonesia Relations Conference organised by Universiti Malaya (UM) Arts and Social Science Faculty here today.
Bachtiar said Malaysia-Indonesia relations boiled down to three aspects - government to government, the business community and people to people.
"Maybe it is people to people contact causes a lot of problems as it touches on cultural differences which are difficult to segregate as we originated from the same root.
"While the older generation understand the issue, the younger generation is after the rationale of the relations," he said.
UM Arts and Social Science Faculty dean Prof Dr Mohammad Redzuan Othman said the bilateral relations transcended the media and culture, economy and socio-development, social and society, history and administration, international relations, women, and education.
"There have been ups and downs in the Malaysia-Indonesia relations. If politicians were to sensationalise certain issues, the media can sell more newspapers.
"So academicians can play the role of a third party by giving the correct perspective. As the third party, our objectives must be right as we can give a big impact to the future of the relations," he told reporters after opening the conference.
A total of 114 working papers will be presented by researchers from Malaysian and Indonesian universities at the conference titled "Serumpun Merentas Globalisasi" (Racial Cluster Transcends Globalisation).
-- BERNAMA
No comments:
Post a Comment