Anti Australian
June 1st, 2007, in Opinion, by RossGovernor Sutiyoso and anti-Australianism and street thuggery.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso while in Sydney, Australia was visited at his hotel room by Australian Federal Police (AFP) over the inquest into the deaths of the “Balibo Five” in East Timor. (see also Yunus Yosfiah)
Ross writes this opinion piece about protests against Australia and street thuggery in general, called “Brutes on the Street“.
The demonstrators outside the Australian Embassy and those outside the Saudi Embassy last week were very different. The young folks protesting against Arab maltreatment of T.K.I.s (overseas workers) were respectable-looking people, whom I would be happy to sit down with for a coffee and chat. Those yelling at Australia were the sort I’d be alarmed to bump into in a quiet street after dark.
The reason for this became evident when T.V. interviewed the latter’s spokesman, none other than the Chairman of the FBR, the self-styled Betawi Brotherhood Forum.
I actually passed quite close to that lot a year or so ago, outside the Plaza Indonesia. A black-shirted mob of surly, arrogant-looking characters were demonstrating, their demand that day being the removal of Inul Daratista from Jakarta. Her crime may well have been that she was better looking than their own women-folk and danced better too. But their placards suggested Inul was “immoral”, though anytime I’ve seen her, she’s never worn even a low-cut dress or a particularly short skirt.
These Betawi (who claim to be the original inhabitants of Batavia aka Jakarta) are of course entitled to dislike any celebrity, but as they strutted back and forth in their fascist outfits, it was clear they felt that as ‘Betawi’ they had the right to decide who lived in Jakarta.
That took me back to when I was house-hunting about six years earlier and a nice family showed me a presentable home in West Jakarta. I was considering the idea when the owner’s wife warned me that they had bought it from some Betawi, and the ex-owners, so I was told, still deemed it up to them how the occupants must behave.
So you need to be careful who you invite back here.
She meant that the benighted Betawi bigots would hassle me if I was seen to be home alone with a female friend. (I was single then!)
I didn’t take the house. If my prospective landlords had nothing in their contract to dictate my guests, then sticky-beak prudes were not going to do so.
Which brings me back to the current controversy raging about murder gangs, and I’m not referring to whoever killed those poor journalists in East Timor thirty two years ago.
Last month, in the vicinity of Kebayoran Lama market, a major brawl erupted between hoodlums, in which two members of one mob were slain (see Radical Groups). The dead men were allegedly part of the FBR, described quite openly in the Jakarta post as a “rival gang”. (JP 30/5/07) Another gang of thugs, the I.K.B., the Association of Betawi Families, has two of its members on the wanted list for the homicides. But this is where it gets weird.
By any normal standard of law and order, anyone connected to these scum-bags ought to be considered beyond the pale - known criminal gangs, squabbling violently over what the same press report neatly sums up as “control of a parking area and illegal levies from street vendors”.
In any sane society, they ought to be hunted down and locked up, so that legitimate street vendors and defenceless motorists seeking to park their cars are not required to hand over money to anti-social vermin with an aversion to honest work.
But in Jakarta, sadly, sane standards do not apply. Although Sutiyoso, himself, I’m told, an ethnic Betawi (who incidentally was never elected by anyone, much like the Brotherhood and the Forum, to represent those they claim to speak for) “condemned the brawl”, and “called for a crack-down”, the mobsters’ leaders are currently negotiating in a “peace process” with the “HELP OF POLICE!”
Sutiyoso.
Can this be true? I’m no great fan of that newspaper but surely they would not make up such a tale. It’s as if the Metropolitan Police had sat down to facilitate talks between the Kray Brothers and their London rivals, or the F.B.I. had chaired meetings of the Manson Family.
The same issue of the Jakarta Post had, as its lead story, a big spread on Indonesia’s unpopularity as a tourist destination. Only 3% of those interviewed naming Indonesia as their preferred holiday destination. Why? “Security concerns” was one of the reasons given, quite apart from the separate issue of terrorism.
I suspect few prospective tourists so far know about the Betawi brutes, but word gets out, sooner or later. Next time the black-shirts show up for a demo in his favour, let’s hope Governor Sutiyoso issues a prompt disclaimer. Politicians and police should regard the social cancer of gangsterism as untouchable. A bit of hukum cambuk would be welcome.
Tags: Arab, Australia, Betawi, East Timor, Foreign Relations, Inul Daratista, Jakarta, Jakarta Post, Law, Security, Sutiyoso, TKI, Tourist
55 Comments on “Anti Australian”
-
spew-it-all Says:
June 1st, 2007 at 5:33 amHe was lucky that I’ve moved to Melbourne from Sydney. If I knew that he would be in Sydney that week, I would be happy to stalk him and then call him a murderer in public when I had my chance.
Such a sook!
-
Abdul Khalid al Jumhuri Says:
June 1st, 2007 at 9:17 amRoss,
Here you tried to derail the issue, and I resent it, because it insults my intelligence. I am of the opinion that two wrongs does not make it right. Bear with me.I am against the FBR and other gangs that makes blatant crimes legit because of the big number of “dumbkopfs” in the membership. I agree that those resposible for their establishment need some healthy kick on their a$$. Big time. However, I also resent the fact that dignitaries of Indonesia being treated like a moron in Australia. The politicians, or the police behind it should also get a boot inserted in their anuses. Preferably by force of my right foot.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like Sutiyoso from the start, I personally puke on his leadership as a governor, but I tolerated him because he was elected in the office by the majority. OK the system sucks, but that is the existing one, so let’s be fair and accept it. Yes, the Indonesian Police needs to do something drastic on this years ago. But what do you know about their problems? Are you willing to take the risk to defend the Indonesian Police if you later-on find out that there is more to it than what it appears to be?
Now I will be nastily point to you personally. I was once an expatriate in the US (late 80s), and in Italy (early 80s). But never once have I criticized my landlord or landlady’s preference. Two grounds made me shut my mouth: [a] this is in the end an economic decision and the choice is mine to make; [b] I am a guest in that country, region, or county. If I don’t like it, I simply do not commit to the house, but I will not pass my judgment. I kept it in my head.
On the effect on tourism: Why don’t we let the chip fall where it may? If Indonesia becomes the least preferred tourist destination in the world, does that affect you personally? Or if it goes the other way around, do you intend to contribute your personal income to celebrate it? NO? Then, I would cordially ask you to kindly shut the f&$k up. We do not need sermon on how to run this country.
Better yet, if you do not like Jakarta or Indonesia at all, may be it is time for you to pack up and find a place somehere else. Definitely not in Indonesia which was selected by only the three percenters of the JP’s respondent. Please don’t let me stand on your fast run.
Now you got me really cranked-up. I am sorry, am I on keeping you from packing? Cheers.
-
Dimp Says:
June 1st, 2007 at 10:26 amI don’t like Sutiyoso, but I would assume that when someone was invited by a foreign government as a guest he would not be subject to harrasment by the police, to say that he was “visited” by the police was a clear understatement as the police actually barged through his hotel room without his consent (they use the master key from the hotel). The police now is on leave and cannot be questioned (how convenient).
Spew-it-all, just for your information, Sutiyoso was educated in Melbourne and Canberra in 1990 why the Australian government did not question him then regarding the Balibo incident? Why wait 32 years?
-
Achmad Sudarsono Says:
June 1st, 2007 at 10:56 amDimp, Abdul Khalid al Jumhuri,
You’re missing something very, very obvious. I’ll break it down real simple:
‘Australia’ doesn’t act as a single entity. Central government different to state govt, different to police, different to judiciary. See ? Not so hard to fathom.
So there’s a basic flaw in your thinking when you think of ‘those damn Aussies.’ Here’s another amazing thing: the courts down there are independent. Isn’t that amazing !
So blaming an entire nation for the acts of two policemen is a bit like blaming you for the Aceh sharia police or even the FBR.
Then there’s the Indonesian police. What a nice bunch of guys. Let’s leave aside the support for drug-dealing, human trafficking, extorting money from beggars and focus on the old ‘uang damai’. How many tourists - that is ‘guests’ get shaken down by the cops ? And how many Indonesians for that matter ?
I’d say that’s pretty ‘rude’ behaviour. I’d say turning a blind eye to human trafficking for cash is pretty ‘rude’ behaviour.
Then there’s Sutiyoso, the man who declared ‘all out war’ on the poor. The man who did nothing, nothing, to stop the flooding that displaced 200,000 people. And finally, an elected leader who has his own private militia of thugs who extort money from ordinary workers, some of whom might have voted for him.
One again, your blind nationalism is talking. ‘Right or wrong, it’s my country,’ is what your post amounts to. If it was Sutiyoso, it’d be ‘right or wrong, it’s my kantong.’
In the end, as long as Indonesia clings to jingoism and tribalism instead of rational thought, and can’t shed the petty hang-ups of the past (getting pushed around by the white man), it’ll always be a backward country. T
Thanks for your contribution, Abdul. Sutiyoso would be proud.
-
June 1st, 2007 at 12:30 pmHi Achmad,
I know Australia doesn’t act as a single entity, but the two policemen still represent the police force, and the police force is still part of the government, get it. They should think that when they act especially when there is a foreign entity is involved that they are the representation of Australia or at least New South Wales. That is why the Premier of New South Wales has offered his apology through formal letter.
As I said before I don’t particularly like Sutiyoso, but he shouldn’t be treated unfairly. The policemen in this case have acted foolishly and with much arrogance barraging into his room without his consent.
-
June 1st, 2007 at 12:56 pmDimp,
Premier of NSW offered a formal apology for political reasons = pressured by the Prime Minister and he invited Sutiyoso in the first place.
As for government, your grasp of basic civics still needs a bit of work. Government= executive/legislature/judiciary.
Law enforcement separate to all of these. Cops aren’t diplomats, sunshine. In Australia, they leave the rim-licking to diplomats.
As for arrogance, how’s running your own private militia ? As for unfair — how about machine-gunning journalists doing their job, not to mention East Timorese farmers ?
Yes, it wasn’t the best police work, but that asshole Sutiyoso deserves it for a whole range of reasons, not just East Timor.
What he’s really pissed off about is he has no power to bully and that in Australia, he’s just another criminal on the run. Bad marks for police procedure — great marks for style.
-
Ihaknt Says:
June 1st, 2007 at 1:18 pmIf they’re doing anti-australian thing, does it mean Indo will still accept aid from Australia?
-
Sylvester Says:
June 1st, 2007 at 4:38 pmThe typical mentality of most Indonesian leaders from the lowest level to the central government is they think they are the country and the country is theirs. It is ridiculous the see what one incident with this man is considered as an insult to the whole 230 million Indonesian!
-
June 1st, 2007 at 5:38 pmExactly, Sylvester — as well as all the Indonesians who back him up.
-
Aluang Anak Bayang Says:
June 1st, 2007 at 6:21 pmIf they’re doing anti-australian thing, does it mean Indo will still accept aid from Australia?
Can you care to elaborate a bit more?
-
June 1st, 2007 at 8:03 pmAbdul Khalid al Jumhuri, I can’t see what Ross had written to get you hyped up.
-
June 1st, 2007 at 8:11 pmAluang, what I meant was if there’s another disaster, will Indo still receive aid from Oz? Disaster relief, money, food, etc. Because the word anti is like very negative and when one is anti about something then sometimes one won’t want to have anything to do with it right?
-
June 1st, 2007 at 9:50 pmOh I see. I thought you meant Australia won’t give aid to Indonesia if we are anti-Australia.
-
June 3rd, 2007 at 8:29 amDear Sudarsono,
Dear Aluang,I will answer to you both. Bear with me. I will answer Sudarsono first: I am not an expert of Australian politics but I know what an insult is. Otherwise why should the Aussie Ambassador apologize? Is he afraid that Indonesia (with its rusting armaments) will invade Australia? My moronic head tells me there is something wrong there. My simple minded numbskull brain tells me when a country invites dignitaries from another country, they respect the guest. To my knowledge Indonesia has never (yet?) humiliate an incoming foreign dignitaries, irrespective of their political affiliation. The inviters (whoever that is) will make sure that he got respected. I don’t give a damn who will arrange that.
Sudarsono wrote (and I quote): “In the end, as long as Indonesia clings to jingoism and tribalism instead of rational thought, and can’t shed the petty hang-ups of the past (getting pushed around by the white man), it’ll always be a backward country.”
My boy Sudarsono, what have you done to stop jingoism? Have you personally fought members of FPI, or FBR on action? I have my boy, and kick their a$$ too in Kemang, so don’t preach before the choir. Oh you did too? Then great, let fight them when we could, but stop blaubering, because this country has too much hot air puffers. Do I have a rational thought? Most probably not, I am just a moron.Aluang,
My comment on Ross was very personal and I could not help it. Ross has been here six years ago, and he still cannot identify which part of Jakarta is conservative and which part is open-minded. Ross has the luxury to choose what neighborhood he fancy, a lot of Indonesians don’t (i.e., they are open-minded, but have to live among the very conservative because they could not afford to move or to choose). Ross has alineated a lot of less-fortunate but open-minded Indonesians.As a fellow “international Gypsy” who make a living (sometimes) in other countries, rule number one is, respect the country you are in. I was once in the deep South in the US, among the so called “red-necks”, who in my experience then and still is now, the very trustworthy, fun loving, and wonderful people. Never once did I let my mind succumb to “victim mentality” and let their idiosyncracy turned me down. I was there by choice and by my own free-will, and what right do I have to sour my mouth on the country? Am I not a guest in that country? That rule that apply to me, also apply to Ross.
-
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:29 amAbdul Khalid al Jumhuri,
It’s not a question of who’s ‘blaubering,’ who’s fought the FBR & FPI (good one, by the way, sink to their level and give them what they want), or who’s a moron.
You don’t seem to understand how a modern nation-state works or how the separate institutions of government operate. I’ll help you out a bit. Federal, state, municipal government, all linked, but often separate. Police also separate - can’t be shuffled like pawns for pennies the way they can in Indonesia.
The N.S.W. police might, in your mind, represent ‘those damn Aussies.’ But once again — take a deep breath here, sunshine — they don’t represent the country — they’re not diplomats.
The Australian Ambassador’s in damage control mode. It is his job to represent the country. He probably just doesn’t want to put up with the macet in front of the Embassy created by Sutiyoso’s pathetic little thugs.
What you’re doing is projecting your own rage against an imagined past of being colonized. We Indonesians are hypersensitive — seeing insults when they’re not there, because we’re hung up about being behind the ‘West,’ and the modern world. In fact we’re doing fine.
But hang ups and blaming those ‘damn Aussies’ ain’t helping.
Truth is, we colonized ourselves. The Dutch could never have ruled without help from the Sultans, Rajahs, Pamong Praja and Javanese overlords with names ending in ‘ningrat’. But that’s another story.
-
June 4th, 2007 at 7:35 amHi Achmad,
As for arrogance, how’s running your own private militia ? As for unfair “” how about machine-gunning journalists doing their job, not to mention East Timorese farmers ?
I didn’t say that Sutiyoso is pure and innocent, but for the police to barge into his room without any consent that is arrogance. Even if he is guilty as sin, he is still has his right, to invite someone and then ambush him in his hotel room is not a good practice.
And again I will point that Sutiyoso was educated in Melbourne and Canberra, if the Australian is really concern about what happened in 1975, then why not questioned him then?
-
June 4th, 2007 at 7:57 amDimp,
What’s ‘arrogance’ got to do with anything ? There’s no law against being arrogant, which, in the end, is very subjective. Some might find ‘go to hell with your aid,’ a bit arrogant, others heroic.
‘They’ probably didn’t question him because the hearing hadn’t been scheduled and wasn’t ongoing.
And that’s the point. There is no ‘they’. There are just a set of government institutions. The problem is that people getting angry are displaying the same kind of mentality as an inter-kampung war, or a street battle between, say, Persija and Jakarta soccer teams. ‘They’ did something to ‘us’ — so we have to react together.
So, one more time for the kids at home: what happened to Sutiyoso was tactless police work but not national policy.
If a cabinet meeting voting to barge into Sutiyoso’s room, or it was a federally approved operation by the Australian Federal Police or even a direct Prime Ministerial order, it’d be different.
And as for textbook cases of bad police work, just ask any Jakarta citizen, who’ll tell you that the local force make the LAPD look like Amnesty International.
Another, more relevant, question: is ‘Australia’ habitually rude, tricky, deceitful, towards Indonesia? I’d say not. It’s a complicated relationship with lots of baggage and history.
But just don’t get confused between a couple of dumb officers and a country’s foreign policy.
-
June 4th, 2007 at 8:43 amAchmad:
As you seems to be the authority of Australian governmental system, I am glad that you call the NSW police piece of kaka as “tactless.” It underscore the gross stench, but it is a move forward, nevertheless.As for going as low as they are with the FBR, and FPI, I am a result oriented person. Have you seen those morons coming to Kemang again? I talk to them in the language they understand. For that I risk my safety, but that is what it takes to straighten their “dumpkopf.” Put it this way, I don’t want to be a free rider.
To be absolutely honest, I don’t see why Sutiyoso in his infinite stupidity got there in the first place. In the end, people got the leaders they deserve. Specially with democracy, where the majority rule. When the majority are average folks, then …
You haven’t answer Dimp question on Sutiyoso being there in 1975 and got out scott-free. Took that long for the NSW police to think?
-
Janma Says:
June 4th, 2007 at 10:48 amWell, I think dimp’s question was answered by Achmad, and I think quite sensibly. The hearing wasn’t scheduled yet, the issue wasn’t happening then.
I think that the police were weird, the way they handled that, and under whose authority. There are so many better ways that could have been done.
I also find it weird that sutiyoso went there, he knew the case was up for hearing and he knew they wanted him there to give testimony. So why did he go? -
June 4th, 2007 at 11:09 amHi Achmad,
But just don’t get confused between a couple of dumb officers and a country’s foreign policy.
I agree with you on this one, thus people shouldn’t judge Indonesian by idiotic action of some (FBR, FPI). But again the difference here is because of these dumb officers barging into Sutiyoso’s room (btw, this has happened before when Stallone was in Sydney), the NSW government has taken responsibility by apologising to the Sutiyoso.
Also in regards to:
‘They’ probably didn’t question him because the hearing hadn’t been scheduled and wasn’t ongoing.
Thus the question why whoever in charge back then actually accepted Sutiyoso to be educated in Australia? If he was involved back in 1975 then why Australia accepted him and “military” educated him?
And as for textbook cases of bad police work, just ask any Jakarta citizen, who’ll tell you that the local force make the LAPD look like Amnesty International.
I am not expecting much from Jakarta PD, but just because Jakarta PD acts disgracefully doesn’t justify others to do the same.
Another, more relevant, question: is ‘Australia’ habitually rude, tricky, deceitful, towards Indonesia? I’d say not. It’s a complicated relationship with lots of baggage and history.
In regards to this incident, I think Australia has to investigate its own internal government regarding the Balibo 5, it has been 32 years since the incident, yet nothing much has been done. I know the Indonesian government has consider the case “closed”, thus I think some Australians have been a bit frustated, thus the stupid act by some police officers.
-
June 4th, 2007 at 11:18 amHi Janma,
I also find it weird that sutiyoso went there, he knew the case was up for hearing and he knew they wanted him there to give testimony. so why did he go?
I think Sutiyoso was invited by the NSW Government to discuss about “sister cities”, so he came to Australia in good faith without even thinking that he will be subject to questioning about the Balibo.
And yes, I think the police should have acted in a much better way, that is my concern, Sutiyoso came to Australia as a ‘guest’ regardless what he has done, he deserved to be treated fairly.
-
dewaratugedeanom Says:
June 4th, 2007 at 7:01 pmAchmad Sudarsono said
What you’re doing is projecting your own rage against an imagined past of being colonized. We Indonesians are hypersensitive “” seeing insults when they’re not there, because we’re hung up about being behind the ‘West,’ and the modern world. In fact we’re doing fine.
This past of being colonized is not imagined but true. But very few who are still alive have actually experienced it first hand, the others only from hearsay and history books. However the hang-ups are real enough. They are probably inspired by the obvious fact that in many respects Indonesia, among a lot of other countries, is still behind the ‘West’ and the modern world which represents the former ‘colonizers’. And worse, prospects of catching up in this lifetime seem non-extant. There are many reasons for this, but important ones are an upbringing that tends towards non-confrontationalism (always keep smiling), a BODN (blame others, do nothing) attitude and KKN. This results in feelings of powerlessness which in turn fuel jealousy and spite (dengki). But who likes to admit such a thing?
Dengki might also be an important factor for the islamist terrorist mess we had to face this last decade. Modern communication media have been busy spreading worldwide a picture of discrepancy in development and life-style between the ‘West’ and other, more traditionalist, societies. Tourism has brought these sometimes disturbing differences to our own doorstep. With certain personalities fundamentalist Islam then becomes a stepping stone for violent reaction because unfortunately many verses in Al-Qur’an, not to mention the hadith, are belligerent in nature and can be easily interpreted as an excuse to destroy what lies beyond ones own expectancy. So the main reason for islamist terrorism may have more to do with racial hate and a clash of civilizations than with religious outlook. Even the sectarian violence in our own country between Moslems and Christians does not escape this phenomenon, because Christianity in this country identifies itself to a great extent with the ‘West’ (sermons in English, e.g.) while we all know in what language Moslems are obliged to pray.
Back to anti-Australianism now, although not directly related to the Sutiyoso case. Everybody who has ever taken a stroll in Kuta en Legian in Bali will understand what I meant with discrepancies in life-style on our own doorstep. Remains one question; how do you avoid or manage a clash of civilizations?
-
June 4th, 2007 at 9:49 pmdewaratugedeanom, very very true. I will archive this one up.
-
June 5th, 2007 at 12:33 pmDear All,
Pak Abdul Khalid,
If you live in Kemang, I can understand how mad they must make you. If it’s your own neighborhood, I think it’s a battle worth fighting. And yes, if you win, you’re speaking to them in their language, which in this case is clubs, goloks, rocks, and cheap replica samurai swords. But a club in the head won’t help their stupidity and dicklessness; it’ll just make it worse.
Wouldn’t it be better to use a more powerful weapon; make them look like assholes in the eyes of the rest of the community? Expose them for the liars they are and destroy any pathetic attempt at legitimacy they might have? I put it to you it’s a more powerful weapon.
In other words, the pen is mightier than the golok.
On the 1975 question: — to be honest, I don’t know why it’s taken this long. It might be to do with national secrecy restrictions on key documents. Or maybe families concerned took this long to get their act togrther, or it was hard to pursue the case before East Timor was independent.
What’s clear is this: the cop’s just take orders. The N.S.W. police have one of the worst reputations in Australia, especially for corruption, and love to get their hands dirty, especially when it comes to arresting a bloody Indon. Don’t let’s pretend there’s not a lot of ignorance in certain social layers in Australia.
Janma sorry for stirring you up on the feminism thing. I’m actually right behind you there.
dewaratugedeanom
This past of being colonized is not imagined but true.
The sad truth is the Dutch could never have done it without the help of a class of Rajas, Sultans, Jagoan and Priyayi. As Indonesian historian Ong Hock Ham has pointed out, Indonesia was never colonized for 350 years.
Once again: Indonesia was never colonized for 350 years.
It was more like 50. The Dutch only won control of Aceh (with treachery) and Bali (with a puputan, or mass court-suicide) in the first decade of last century. Even in the previous 300 years, all too often controlleurs and Governors did deals with the local ruler: Indonesians colonized themselves. But to build a nation, you need to construct a myth and blame someone else. It’s 2007 - isn’t it time for the truth?
This history is very relevant to the discussion of Australia. Once we come to terms with what’s happened, we’re less likely to resent other people.
-
June 5th, 2007 at 12:53 pmHi Achmad,
What’s clear is this: the cop’s just take orders. The N.S.W. police have one of the worst reputations in Australia, especially for corruption, and love to get their hands dirty, especially when it comes to arresting a bloody Indon. Don’t let’s pretend there’s not a lot of ignorance in certain social layers in Australia.
Thank you for stating this, that is why I was a bit pissed on this particular case, there are some cases when the Australians want to show their power over Indonesians (not all the time), and when a fellow Indonesian condone this action it made me even more mad.
-
Rambutan Says:
June 5th, 2007 at 12:56 pmDon’t get me wrong. I don’t like Sutiyoso from the start, I personally puke on his leadership as a governor, but I tolerated him because he was elected in the office by the majority
Sutiyoso was actually never elected “by the majority”. He was appointed by Megawati. This year we will see the first direct elections of DKI governor (unfortunately we can only chose between Islamists and corruption).
-
Ross Says:
June 5th, 2007 at 12:57 pmA.K.a.J. should cool his xenophobia and his foul language long enough to read what others actually write.
The issue in West Jakarta six years ago was not my prospective landlord’s requirements but the prospective interference of mediaeval bigots who had once owned the house in question. They had no legal or moral right to dictate behaviour of tenants in someone else’s property but proposed to do so. Just like some Betawi morons tried to persecute Inul, again with neither legal nor moral justification. It ain’t just us bules, Mr. Foul-Mouth, it’s East Javanese, Sundanese, Acehnese, Papuans, Bugis, anybody who has no blood and soil nazi-style connection to these atavistic clowns. And happily it ain’t all Betawis, just the gangster/fanatic element.
And also, Mr. F, don’t stereotype all foreigners, whom your infantile imagination portrays as rich enough to choose anywhere we like to live. I pay a million plus a month, more than many can afford, but not like your snouts-in-the-trough elected representatves, who demand a housing allowance from the tax-payers considerably in excess of that.
Oh, and please note, we don’t interfere in Indonesian politics. We can’t, by law, and quite right. But we do think and speak and write, most of us, because we are fed up watching the ordinary wong cilik ripped off by KKN and bullied by bigots. -
June 5th, 2007 at 1:27 pmRoss,
Thank you for your very eloquent clarification, thanks for writing back. I am one of the fan of Inul, for her breakthrough, and for her dancing style, so I share her agony (and extremely pissed) when she was tossed-around by the FBR and by Rhoma Irama. I do not live in Kemang, and hate the “snout-in-the-through” elected officials. I am used to spending Rp150/day for food in “warung Tegals” in the 80s. Needless to say, I am a qualified wong cilik by default and by lineage. Thus, using your own word, I must be an accomplished and a qualified xenophobic (because I am married to a Dutch decent woman, my wife), and of course infantile. Thank you very much for being so generous. I guess you have responded in-kind to my foul-mouthed dirty remarks.
AKaJ
-
June 5th, 2007 at 6:03 pmWell Sutiyoso was silly enough to fall on their trap. But maybe if the Indo part hadn’t avoided the subject for so long then the matter couldve been resolved ages ago and detained the right person accountable. If you run away from problem, it will catch up with you - sometimes worse, it catches up with someone who just happens to be at the wrong place in the wrong time. But it is our culture to sweep unpleasantness under the carpet until the carpet is so bulky and no longer possible to walk on, then things become so ruwet to untangle. Well, hope things will work out for the best.
-
Naga Says:
June 6th, 2007 at 12:06 pmThere are some cases when the Australians want to show their power over Indonesians (not all the time), and when a fellow Indonesian condone this action it made me even more mad.
Such as when?
Australia constantly has to tolerate Indonesian govt bullshit and clean up the Indonesian govt’s failings and mess, yet they are always to blame; all the RI govt has to do is put on an infantile display or let off a temper tantrum and they get what they want, since how is that a display of power by Australia?
Australia has alswys been the first to help when Indonesia has been in trouble, such as the Aceh, Java tsunami’s and Yogya ‘gempa bumi’, but instead of being thanked, paranoid nationalists gave them a timeline to get out of the country and no word of a ‘thank you’.
Perhaps the Australain taxpayer should stop giving Indonesia over 500 million $ Aud per year and then see how this country is run.
-
June 6th, 2007 at 1:02 pmNaga,
I don’t dispute that Australians help Indonesians in the time of need. But there are also times when Australians act and show their arrogance against Indonesian. I am a frequent traveller and there are instances when I travelled with Garuda to Sydney, the requirement for landing was for the aircraft to be sprayed with insecticide (not from the outside but from the inside while we are still on the plane), while for other aircrafts this is not a requirement.
To keep in context how about the fact that the NSW police (they are Australians right) barged into (show their power) Sutiyoso’s room (he is Indonesian right) without any consent.
-
June 6th, 2007 at 2:27 pmDimp, that’s easy. Don’t fly Garuda and stop whining. Probably they only do that when you’re on board cos you stink heheheh. Fly Qantas, cheaper for you. BTW, what’s with the ‘the worst airline in the world’ title?
Sutiyoso is lucky he wasnt watching porn when he was raided heheh.
-
June 6th, 2007 at 2:28 pmDimp,
Still - it’s a good point. If the ‘Australians’ are so arrogant — why not just say ‘go to hell with your aid’??
In terms of the insecticide — Indonesia’s a tropical country. Australia has a very fragile ecosystem. The introduction of foreign viruses, animals and organisms has caused untold damage. It was actually diseases that killed a lot of aboriginals in the 18th and 19th centuries.
I’m sure any tropical country would have the same requirement. Unless, of course, the plane was from India, in which case the spray would be deodorant and not insecticide.
Achmad.
-
June 6th, 2007 at 3:29 pmI am a frequent traveller and there are instances when I travelled with Garuda to Sydney, the requirement for landing was for the aircraft to be sprayed with insecticide (not from the outside but from the inside while we are still on the plane), while for other aircrafts this is not a requirement.
That occurs on several other airlines, the Australian airforce does it to its own planes after flying from any Asian country. Since Indonesia shuns the general practice of hygiene and adherence of any standards regarding anything, it’s not surprising you don’t understand.
To keep in context how about the fact that the NSW police (they are Australians right) barged into (show their power) Sutiyoso’s room (he is Indonesian right) without any consent.
Fair enough, what they did was wrong; but the Indonesian police have done far worse on a far more regular basis and they would never hesitate to do it any any foreign dignitary.
Again, the RI govt doesn’t understand that there is clear seperation of powers regarding the police, State and Federal government in the civilised first world. A politician cannot simply pick up the phone and order police to do whatever he wants, like they can in Indonesia; that is called corruption.
-
June 7th, 2007 at 6:09 amHi Naga,
That occurs on several other airlines, the Australian airforce does it to its own planes after flying from any Asian country. Since Indonesia shuns the general practice of hygiene and adherence of any standards regarding anything, it’s not surprising you don’t understand.
Well the fact remains that when I travelled with Qantas they didn’t spray inside the plane.
Fair enough, what they did was wrong; but the Indonesian police have done far worse on a far more regular basis and they would never hesitate to do it any any foreign dignitary.
I think you need to read my comments from the beginning, I already stated that I don’t expect much from the Indonesian police. So again I will say this, just because the Indonesian police did something wrong does not warrant the Australian police to do the same.
And to follow your footstep, such as when?
-
June 7th, 2007 at 3:02 pmYes, I recall my bule self being fumigated on landing at Sydney some years back, but do they still do it?
Australia and Indonesia are very different places. I’d be happy to live in either country, but it’s not the overall environment that makes the difference, it’s your personal taste and experience. So I am here to stay, until I get too old and ill, then I’ll need to depart, because having seen the way Indonesians without much cash are treated in hospitals here, I’d make a run for it rather than risk malpractice.
Now there’s another diversion to get you all going. Have a nice weekend. -
June 10th, 2007 at 8:39 amHi Ross,
Indonesians without much cash are treated in hospitals here
That is another difference between Indonesia and Australia, Indonesians do not appreciate life, especially others, one of my cousin was involved in a traffic collision, he was brought to the emergency room in one of the public hospital by the bystanders (not by ambulance), and because no one wanted to take responsibility, he was left lying on his back by himself on the floor of the emergency room with massive head trauma. He had no assistance and was vomiting badly and because he was lying on his back some went to his lung. These horrific stories of bad treatment should have shock values but unfortunately it is just part of the daily life of Indonesians.
-
June 10th, 2007 at 12:05 pmI’m also amazed at how angry some Doctors can get when challenged on their diagnosis, or often even just gently questioned. ‘For example:
What do you mean by ‘masuk angin’, Dr.’
‘Um, er, well the wind enters the pores of your skin.’
‘But how can the wind do that when skin is airtight,’
‘Well, in Indonesia, we have masuk angin,’
‘Or do you just mean flu?”
‘yes,’
‘So why did you say masuk angin?”
Doctor gets angry, starts muttering, quickly writes out an over-priced subscription and gets offended.
It’s very disappointing when medical professionals are ignorant of basic theories of the modern immune system. -
Odinius Says:
June 10th, 2007 at 11:52 pmI’m generally inclined to side with ahmad on this, as sutiyoso’s questioning in no way justifies the reaction. The thuggish protests are indeed terrible and exemplify a crass, base nationalism totally at odds with that of sukarno/hatta/etc. It’s also a sign that the Indonesian state does not have a monopoly on the use of legitimate violence, the hallmark of any rational, modern state. It probably never did, but it has to put that together or society will never kick the third world blues.
That said, I do think the australian government is playing politics by bringing up the murder of the journalists, an act THEY helped cover up and legitimate since they wanted Indonesia to invade east timor. Australia would be better served investigating their own, fairly disgusting role in the invasion and covering up the atrocities that followed.
-
Teta Says:
June 14th, 2007 at 8:24 amThe Bilboa incident is no longer relevant in the world, only in Australia. Do your investigation if you must, but nobody in the world cares about the 5 journalists. They are irrelevant in today’s world. Face the fact.
As for Sutiyoso, if we take his word that they came into the hotel using master key without knocking, those cops should get an ass kicking. He came into the country as a guest to the local government as a foreign government official and according to all diplomatic rules and regulations, and the police had no rights and is probably violating international laws.
FBR is a thug, they should be disbanded and hope the next governor crack down on FBR and FPI. They serve nothing to society but to become bunch of hoodlums.
-
June 14th, 2007 at 10:28 amAs for Sutiyoso, if we take his word that they came into the hotel using master key without knocking, those cops should get an ass kicking.
This is not his word, the Australian press has actually confirmed that this actually happened, the hotel has also confirmed, the policemen however were nowhere to be found (apparently they are on some sort of leave).
-
June 14th, 2007 at 11:05 amTeta, if you were the family of the killed journalist, it would mean the world to you to find out what happened. Your life story is irrelevant to the world but if any of your family was murdered, wouldn’t you want to know why?
-
June 15th, 2007 at 9:19 amLike I say, from a purely world view and even Indonesian view, those four dead guys are irrelevant. I have not even heard of the BIlboa incident until the Sutiyoso incident.
Sorry to sound harsh, but they’re insignificant and if the the family want to find out what happen, I’m sure the Australian government knew exactly what happen. Ask them to open the files. Let’s not turn an event which is not even in the radar of the two nation’s relation until the Sutiyoso incident made into something bigger.
-
June 15th, 2007 at 12:32 pmHi Teta,
I have not even heard of the BIlboa incident until the Sutiyoso incident.
Just because you never heard of this just proves that you are not well informed, it doesn’t mean that the incident was insignificant.
-
June 15th, 2007 at 3:58 pmTeta, it wasnt harsh it was ignorant. To say it was under the radar of the 2 nation? It’s always been the Indo trait to ‘cuci tangan’ even from its own people. Let alone from people from other countries. It’s not a surprise many Indos didnt know about this issue, as the gov like usual always hides the facts from its people.
-
Tomaculum Says:
June 15th, 2007 at 6:50 pm“those four dead guys are irrelevant. ”
Wow, wow, wow …
I just can say wow again ….
Sad, very sad, that four lives (which skin colour they ever have) can be so irrelevant for some one.
Would it still be irrelevant, if one of them our brother, husband, father or friend? -
June 15th, 2007 at 7:22 pmSorry that ya all offended. I’d imagined most Australians wouldn’t care less about the massacres in Tanjuk Priok. To Australians, it’s insignificant. Just like Bilboa is insignificant to us Indonesians. Sorry.
-
xmale Says:
June 16th, 2007 at 2:25 amTeta Says:
Sorry that ya all offended. I’d imagined most Australians wouldn’t care less about the massacres in Tanjuk Priok.
If Australians had massacred the Indonesians in Tanjung Priok then Australians and Indonesians would want the murders brought to justice unfortunately it was Indonesians that massacred the journo’s in Timor Timor so its “only” the Aussies that want justice. That is the sad part and does not say a lot for Indonesia.
-
Oigal Says:
June 16th, 2007 at 8:44 pm“Sorry that ya all offended. I’d imagined most Australians wouldn’t care less about the massacres in Tanjuk Priok. To Australians, it’s insignificant. Just like Bilboa is insignificant to us Indonesians. Sorry.”
Perhaps then the thousands of East Timorese who suffered and were killed as well then… naagh I guess not, courts have already proven that no one cares.
-
June 17th, 2007 at 9:54 amDear All,
Yes, the deaths in Balibo were bad. We all know it’s not good for the military to murder civilians, but
1) Those guys were pros. Although journalists like to spin the image of heroic foreign correspondent, alot of them consciously take the risks knowing full well the career dynamite such assignments are.
2) A lot of innocent people are dying in Indonesia and around the world right now. Pasuruan, East Java for example.
I can understand why the Mums and widows of Balibo five would want to keep it alive, but for the rest of us, it’s time to move on. (That’s you too, Oigal, ’sunshine’).
Unless, that is, you care more about three Australians long gone (Oigal — three Australians, facts, sunshine, facts -one Kiwi and a Brit) more than the problems of the living.
-
June 17th, 2007 at 12:18 pmAchmad,
I think some of us are “offended” because of the word “irrelevant” in Teta’s comment.
Nobody’s death regardless of which cause (murder, accident or by jihad bombing or by military violence) shouldn’t be irrelevant for us and regardless of which skin colour or believe the victims have.
I know that some of us human are just interested in our own concerns, so that they wouldn’t even care if they watch with their own eyes how their neighbor were being raped and then murdered.
I’m sure you’re not such a kind of human being.And: if the Tanjung Priok victims are irrelevant for the Australians, so shouldn’t we do the same to their people (like the victims of Bali or even the 4 journalists)?
Are we then different to them? Better?Alot of innocent people are dying in Indonesia and around the world right now. Pasuruan, East Java for example.
Are you sure the Australian journalists are not innocent? Agents? Subversive elements?
Let us care about such things, even if only in our hearts. Because if not, we will change to stone.
And if we don’t care, then let us enjoy our pleasure in our mind. 
Please ignore the errors in my english, cause (like I’ve told you sometimes ago) this is not my first foreign language.
-
June 17th, 2007 at 2:11 pmDear All,
“Irrelevant” is a tactless word to use when referring to deaths. “Irrelevant” to whom, and why ?
Perhaps what Teta meant to say, or at least I’m arguing is that the wider significance of those deaths beyond a tragedy for the families has been blown way out of proportion by the Australian media.
Dude, they weren’t spies.
Some 1,000 East Timorese died after the 1999 referendum. Many of them perished at the hands of the militia. The military have also knocked off alot of civilians in Aceh and Papua.
Not to mention the 1,000 that died in the May riots in Jakarta, or about 4,000 who died in political violence one way or another since the 1998 shift to democracy.
If you’re wondering what cause to channel your sense of outrage into, surely Iraq rates more highly than the ‘75 Balibo killings.
Yes, it’s bad that the military officers got away with it. But those journos knew they were going into a war zone with a tin-pot army at work. They took a conscious, career decision to go into a warzone. It wasn’t as if the invasion came to them.
So let’s keep things in proportion (yes, that’s you Oigal). We’ve got alot of current problems to deal with. Mourning for the Balibo 5 should have stopped a long time ago. So yes, it’s not really that big a deal for Indonesia and rightly so.
The likes of Oigal love their little martyrs. They don’t want to let them go, even in the face of reason and facts.
-
June 18th, 2007 at 6:21 amTeta, my ignorant one, Aust didnt care maybe because no Australian died in the TP incident. Now, YOUR arguement is IRRELEVANT because you’re comparing something that is not in the same league.
-
June 24th, 2007 at 12:31 pmSo, in Indonesia eye, the Bilboa incident is irrelevant.
-
Wayne Says:
August 25th, 2007 at 1:47 pmAm a frequent traveller and there are instances when I travelled with Garuda to Sydney, the requirement for landing was for the aircraft to be sprayed with insecticide (not from the outside but from the inside while we are still on the plane), while for other aircrafts this is not a requirement.
I also am a frequent traveller to many parts of the pacific basin and you are wrong about only Garuda being the only plane sprayed with pesticide. A lot of planes coming into Australia and also New Zealand from foreign countries are sprayed, This is not saying people are bringing into these two countries some type of pestilence or some dreaded lurgy. The spraying is to kill any unwanted insects and the like that are detrimental to crops / animal / fruits coming into these two countries, Because as you would know Aussie and NZ are agricultural countries whose very existence and life styles are determined by the success of the farmer and what he produces, Or maybe you just pissed the air hostess off.
Trackbacks
Comment on “Anti Australian”.
Free Subscribe
Related Stories
Copyright Indonesia Matters 2006-08 