M`sian Laskar Wataniyah draws strong criticism from Indonesian legislators

Jakarta - The induction of Indonesian nationals as a Malaysian paramilitary force operating in the border region with Indonesia has added to the list of contentious issues between the two countries.

However, it is a fact Indonesia has to face the fact that many Indonesians had been recruited as Laskar Wataniyah paralimitary personnel who in the future may have to face Indonesian security personnel.

The Malaysian contentious way of recruiting Indonesian nationals living in the border regions for its Laskar Wataniyah paramilitary group is outragious action, and had drawn strong criticism from Indsonesian legislators.

Yusron Ihza Mahendra, Vice Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission I (defense and foreign affairs), said the Malaysian unfriendly attitude of recruiting Indonesian nationals as members of its Laskar Wataniyah paramilitary group had extended the list of contentious issues between Indonesia and Malaysia.

The issue came under public spotlight during a working visit of the House`s Commission I members to West Kalimantan last December. Their finding was earlier made by Hepi Bone Zulkarnain of the Golkar Party faction who was also one of the House`s Commission members, who said that the Malaysian action was a very serious matter.

"When a clash takes place between our security forces and the Laskar Wataniyah members, there will be a situation in which Indonesians fighttheir own countrymen," he said.

Mahendra said that he had obtained information that besides the Laskar Wataniyah which consisted of two brigades, Malaysia also had a `Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja` (Royal Malay Legion Regiment) made up of Indonesians in the official structure of its armed forces.

However, Mahendra stressed that the government of Indonesia should not ignore this information, even it still had to be verified. The Indonesian government may already have heard about it.

Such strong reaction also came from Effendy Choirie who is also Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Faction in the House of Representatives on Thursday who said that the government of Indonesia needed to immediately file a strong protest to Malaysia about this case.

If possible, those already recruited as "Laskar Wataniyah" paramilitary force in the border region with Indonesia should be withdrawn, he said.

PKB was very concerned about the fact that many Indonesians living on border area knew Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad more than the Indonesian president. "They know more about the ringgit than their rupiah and more tragic is that they could not speak Indonesian language well," he said.

"Their TV program is also from Malaysian TV stations and not from Indonesian TV stations," Effendy said adding that the case on Laskar Wathaniyah showed that Malaysia had no good intention toward Indonesian nation.

To respond to this, a strong protest deserved to be addressed to Malaysia because of the outragious action which is offensive to Indonesia. "Malaysian action is really unfriendly to Indonesia."

His party even estimated that Malaysia had recruited around 40,000 Indonesians as Laskar Wataniyah paramilitary members deployed along the Indonesia-Malaysia border. The number of that country`s security posts head reached 100, much more than the 31 Indonesian posts.

Dialamatic condition

In the meantime, Dr Sofyan Siregar of the European Islamic University in Rotterdam said that this condition as a dilemmatic problem.

The Indonesian government`s limited capability to provide job opportunities has made their citizens to find jobs in other countries, regardless of the kind of work.

According to Sofyan, social welfare already provided by Malaysia to their recruitees in Laskar Wataniyah has lured the Indonesians living in the border area to grab that job opportunity.

Not only that, there are many Indonesians in the Netherlands who had no objection to leave their country in the past for finding a job in a foreign country. "But they all love their homeland and have a high feeling of nationalism."

"If the government wants to prevent their citizens from being recruited as Laskar Wataniah, the only way is providing more job opportunities. As long as jobs are difficult to find, practically the citizens will be trying hard to find it in a foreign countrie," he said.

However, Sofyan suggested that the best way for the Indonesian government in facing this case was by intensifying diplomacy and lobby to that neighboring country.

Source: www.antara.co.id (16 Februari 2008)
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