RI, M'SIA SHARE SAME CULTURAL ROOTS :EXPERT

Pekanbaru, Riau, Sept 11 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and Malaysia are two nations that share the same cultural roots, Tenas Effendi, a Riau culturalist, said here on Thursday.

Indonesia and Malaysia once even shared the same peninsula and the Johor Riau kingdom was centered in Bintan, Riau Islands, in the past, he said.

"From those cultural roots, the Malay language was born and later became Indonesia's national language," Tenas said.

About Malaysia's cultural claims, he said, they should not be the people's concern but the government's.

Indonesia should make an inventory of its cultures and patent them, he said.

According to historical records, Indonesia and Malaysia were separated in 1824 based on the London Treaty which divided the peninsula into two parts, he said.

"The upper peninsula was colonized by Britain, and the lower part by the Netherlands. Later, the upper peninsula became Malaysia and the lower one became Indonesia. Since then, administratively our governments are separated, but our culture remained one," he said.

He called on all parties to understand culture from the meaning of heredity, not politics.

Moreover, Malay culture teaches wisdom, acceptance, brotherhood and goodness.

"In fact, now many Malaysian ministers and officials are interested in tracing their ancestral roots in Indonesia," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian chairman of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Indonesia-Malaysia relations, Try Sutrisno, said the "Pendet" case would not have happened if there had been good communications between the two nations.

Speaking to newsmen after a meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the lattter's office here on Friday, Try said what he meant by communications was joint efforts in promoting culture and tourism as recommended by the EPG to their respective governments.

"If there had been cultural cooperation with regard to the depiction of the Pendet dance, the situation would not be like this," he said.