Indonesian lawmakers urge Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew to apologize

Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa
Published: Tuesday September 26, 2006

Jakarta- Angry Indonesian lawmakers have demanded a public apology from Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew over reports that he accused Indonesia of systematically marginalizing its Chinese minority, local media reported said Tuesday. "The statement is full of lies. We are very upset because it has disgraced Indonesia. We will ask the government to send a letter of protest to Lee," The Jakarta Post quoted lawmaker Djoko Susilo as saying.

Susilo, from the National Mandate Party (PAN), claimed there was no longer discrimination or systematic marginalization of the ethnic Chinese in the country.

"Now, the minority Chinese have access to all positions, even in the military. We even have ministers and lawmakers from the ethnic group," he said.

Reports quoted Lee as telling a forum in Singapore recently that it was vital for the Chinese-majority city-state to stand up to its Muslim-majority neighbours.

Lee was reported to have said Malaysia's and Indonesia's attitude towards Singapore were formed by the way they treated their own ethnic Chinese minorities.

Lee reportedly claimed Malaysia and Indonesia had problems with their Chinese populations because those minorities worked hard and were successful.

Malaysian leaders also have reportedly demanded an apology from Lee.

Another lawmaker, Amris Hassan, criticized Lee's remarks for the danger they posed to Indonesian unity as well as ASEAN's good relations.

"Beside obstructing our bilateral relations, the remarks also hinder the process of establishing the ASEAN community," said Hassan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). He demanded that Lee issue a public apology and explain what he meant not only to Indonesian leaders but also to the Indonesian people.

ASEAN stands for the Association of South-East Asian Nations, which comprises of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Indonesians of Chinese descent account for approximately 3 per cent, or around six million, of the country's 220 million population. But they control the bulk of business activity in the world's fourth most populous nation.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa