Putrajaya - Cultural performances originating from Indonesia, such as the "Barongan" and "Endang" dances, are to be shelved from Malaysian tourism promotion activities due to the controversy raised by cultural activists from the republic.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today the decision was taken to ease the controversy while the matter was sorted out by the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry with the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
"The (barongan) dance thrives in Johor. If we look at history, our forefathers who migrated here had brought the culture and way of life from Indonesia to be part of our culture.
"In the old days, there were no boundaries between Malaysia and Indonesia, no passports, and not even an immigration system," he told reporters after opening a mass circumcision programme at the Putrajaya Hospital, here.
His announcement came in the wake of a demonstration by Reog Ponorogo (Barongan in Malaysia) activists outside the Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia recently, disparaging Malaysia for what it claimed was promoting the dance as part of the Malaysian culture.
Of late, the Indonesian media has also been critical of Malaysian songs and dances performed at official functions and over television which it claimed belonged to the republic.
Tengku Adnan said he had received letters from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture and Tourism which pointed out that the Endang dance (which thrives in Negeri Sembilan) performed by a Malaysian entourage in Osaka recently was an Indonesian dance.
He said he was prepared to join a committee involving Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim which would discuss the controversy with Indonesian State Minister for Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik.
On the impact of the recent Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) illegal rally on the tourism industry, Tengku Adnan said that so far there had been no cancellation of tour packages to Malaysia.
"We have activated a special unit to monitor the situation and would inform our tour operators overseas of developments. We have told them that the situation is safe despite the foreign media blowing the issue out of proportion," he said.
Source: www.bernama.com (4 Desember 2007)