MALAYSIA ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO INDONESIA

By Mohd Nasir Yusoff

JAKARTA, Nov 9 (Bernama) - Indonesia always looks at Malaysia as an
important nation in its foreign relations, in fact the bilateral relations
between the two neigbouring countries is like a pillar in the context of
regional ties, said Indonesian Foreign Minister, Dr R.M Marty M. Natalegawa.

He said the cordial and positive relations between Indonesia and Malaysia,
which had always been intensified, not only benefited the two countries, but
also had significant influence on the overall environment in Asean.

"The fact that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono again chose Malaysia as
the first country that he would visit soon after his election (on Oct 20), I
believe reflects Malaysia's significance to Indonesia.

"Although the visit (on Nov 11) is relatively short as it also coincides
with the goings on in APEC (in Singapore), I feel the message is very clear that
Indonesia greatly appreciates the good relations with Malaysia and is determined
to cooperate to further strengthen the existing cordial relations," he said in
an exclusive interview with Bernama, here.

In the interview in conjunction with the first official visit by President
Susilo abroad after being elected to lead Indonesia for the second term from
2009 to 2014, Marty said the common stock shared by both countries was not only
relevant in the globalisation era but signified a special quality that could be
worked on.

"The common stock factor forms an asset which is not present in Indonesia's
bilateral relations with any other country. This always gives the
Indonesia-Malaysia relations a special quality," said Marty who was recently
appointed Indonesian Foreign Minister by Susilo in the Indonesian Second United
Cabinet.

The Bandung-born Marty said both countries only needed to nurture the common
stock factor to a higher level, turning it into a new source of resonance and to
drive the people to exploit the benefits together so that they could move
forward in the era of globalisation.

He was happy at the possibility that the young entrepreneurs from both
countries could capitalise on the common stock factor to garner cooperation,
expertise and capital to jointly exploit the global market whether in the mega
construction projects in the third world or in the service industry.

Looking deeper at the common stock advantage, he said it should also become
a bonding factor in the people-to-people relations to arrive at a joint
awareness such as in cultural issues where there would be a common ownership
which would bring the relationship closer instead of creating problems.

Acknowledging the close relations between the leaders of the two countries
to the extent that they could talk to each other over the telephone, he said,
however, they should not take the relationship for granted and should instead
continue to forge closer ties in view of the generational change in leadership.

"We must ensure that the future Indonesia-Malaysia leaders continue to feel
the sense of affinity and the close relationship that had been developed by our
leaders all this while," he said.

The minister said the formation of the Eminent Persons Group between
Indonesia and Malaysia also represented a positive step which, according to him,
came about out of the awareness that in the close relationship there would
certainly emerge challenges that would require the wisdom of this group in
tackling these challenges.

Marty, who was formerly the Indonesian Permanent Representative to the
United Nations, hoped that the approximately two million Indonesian workers in
Malaysia would become an asset in forging closer bilateral ties and enhance
understanding.

"In particular, the tens of thousands of Indonesian undergraduates in
Malaysia and the thousands of Malaysian undergraduates in Indonesia form an
asset, including the thousands of TKI (Indonesian work force) in Malaysia. The
challenge is how to convert them into an asset that would strengthen the
foundation of our relationship," he said.

"The challenge for both our governments is how to transform it from a source
of problem into a bonding factor," he said.

On the visit of President Susilo to Kuala Lumpur, Marty said the main agenda
was an audience with the Malaysian King on Nov 11 and the meeting and discussion
with Prime Minister Najib Razak on Nov 12, followed by the meeting at the
officers' level.
-- BERNAMA