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[This is the print version of story ]INDONESIA: Malaysian ambassador joins criticism of tourism campaign - 07/12/2007
Malaysia’s Ambassador to Indonesia has weighed in on a controversy over the use of traditional songs and dances in a tourism campaign. Dato Zainal Abidin Zain has denied that Malaysian tourism officials tried to claim Indonesian traditional culture. The ambassador said he wanted his statement to put an end to the controversy, which has ignited outrage among Indonesians and Malaysians.
Presenter - Nasya Bahfen Speaker - Indonesian academic Dr Ariel Heryanto, School of Asian Studies, University of Melbourne
BAHFEN: Last week saw demonstrations outside the Malaysian Embassy in the Indonesian capital.That’s nothing new - young people have often taken to the streets and the internet, in defence of Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta when the two countries are engaged in diplomatic stoushes. But this protest wasn’t about territorial waters, or about smog caused by illegal logging. It was about a dance.
The protestors were angry because Malaysian tourism campaigns were using a traditional Indonesian dance - the Reog or mask dance, which comes from Ponorogo in East Java. Dr Ariel Heryanto is an Indonesian academic who is an expert in the culture of both Malaysia and Indonesia. He was surprised that some Indonesian officials were offended at the use of the dance by Malaysia’s tourism promoters.
HERYANTO: Malay has its own distinct Islamic culture, the particular dance that you are referring to - Reog from Ponorogo is very much criticised by the Muslim communities in Java, actually, as being somewhat, you know, unIslamic.
BAHFEN: It’s not the first time Indonesia has accused Malaysia of stealing from their culture to promote tourism. In October feathers were ruffled over a Malay folk song called Rasa Sayang, used in overseas Malaysian tourism promotions. Furious insults were traded through comments on video sharing sites such as Youtube, along with pleas for tolerance. One post said, “Kita berdua tuh bodoh aja mau diadu domba” (we two nations are stupid enough to be baited into fighting). Another wondered, “why are such good neighbors quarrelling about a single song…funny…” Dr Heryanto from the school of Asian studies at the University of Melbourne says the spat over songs and dances won’t affect bilateral ties in the long run. He says historically both countries have borrowed from each other, and share many similarities.
HERYANTO: The language Bahasa Indonesia is derived from Malaysia, so we wouldn’t have our national language without you know borrowing from Malaysia actually! The majority of Malaysians are Muslim just like Indonesians. Ethnically many Malaysians are in a way related to us, particularly those who come from Sumatra.
BAHFEN: But Indonesia and Malaysia have also had to combat many problems. The relationship between the southeast Asian neighbours has been strained in recent years, over the issuing of exploration rights in disputed waters and the smog coming from the logging of Sumatra’s forests. Dr Heryanto says another key sticking point is the rights of Indonesian workers in Malaysia.
HERYANTO: The whole issue of migrant workers perhaps has become a major source of frustration among Indonesians. There are so many domestic workers that are not well treated in Malaysia, and both governments including the Indonesian government have not done enough to address them.
BAHFEN: This week Malaysia announced it would drop the Indonesian mask dance from its overseas tourism campaign. Dr Ariel Heryanto has applauded the move.
HERYANTO: It’s very nice of them. I don’t think they have to do that but the fact that they’ve done it - I really appreciate it. I think Indonesia has the right to be partly offended for not being given enough acknowledgement but whether or not this really belongs to Indonesia is really open to debate.
BAHFEN: But the claims and counter claims over the folk song are set to continue. Many Indonesians remember growing up with Rasa Sayang, a nursery rhyme from their childhood. The problem is, so do many Malaysians.
© 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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