Indonesia summoned Singapore Ambassador
Sep 27, 2006, 2.16 pm (Singapore time)
Jakarta wants S'pore to clarify MM Lee's race comments
INDONESIA'S foreign ministry has summoned Singapore's ambassador
over Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's statements that Indonesia had
'systematically marginalised' its ethnic Chinese minority.
Yuri Thamrin, director of East Asian and Pacific affairs at the
ministry, said the ambassador was called in on Wednesday to help
clear the matter.
'It's an old story. We are seeking clarification from the
Singaporean side and we are still waiting for it,' he said.
At a dialogue for good governance on Sept 15, Mr Lee had said that
it was important for Singapore to have a government that was
'really firm, stout-hearted, subtle and resolute'.
He noted that the attitude of Malaysia and Indonesia towards the
Republic was shaped by the way they treated their own ethnic
Chinese minorities.
Mr Lee said: 'My neighbours both have problems with their Chinese.
They are successful, they're hard-working and therefore they are
systematically marginalised, even in education.'
The two nations 'want Singapore, to put it simply, to be like their
Chinese - compliant', said Mr Lee.
Only three per cent of Indonesia's 220 million population is
ethnically Chinese.
But members of the minority group are disproportionately powerful
players in the economy.
Chinese Indonesians faced systematic barriers during the 32 years
of President Suharto's rule that ended in 1998.
The situation has improved since and many discriminatory
regulations have been revoked. -- REUTERS
