Politician Urges Minister to Protest The Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Aisyah Aminy, a senior politician of the United Development Party (PPP), has urged Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa to send a letter of protest to the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia, highlighting the editor who had insulted Indonesia's former president, BJ Habibie. "It is important that Indonesia sends a letter of protest because our former leaders should not be insulted," said Aisyah Aminy, on Wednesday. She commented on an editorial column written by Malaysia's former information minister, Zainudin Maidin, who had called Habibie a traitor to his nation. He had also compared Habibie to Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's opposition figure and had called them "dogs of Imperialism". The lady politician said Zainudin Maidin's statement is incorrect because during his presidential term, Habibie had implemented 71 policies, which served as a foundation for the reform era. She said the negative comments cannot be viewed as personal comments of Maidin because he is Malaysia's former information minister. "It's an opinion of a former information minister, not just an ordinary person. So, we should respond by lodging a complaint with the Malaysian prime minister," she stated. TB Hasanuddin, a lawmaker, said the comments are exaggerated, and they are insulting to the people of Indonesia. "Apart from lodging a complaint, the Indonesian House of Representatives should inform the Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia about this issue," he said. Zainudin had written the editorial column in Utusan Malaysia, following BJ Habibie's visit to Malaysia on December 6, 2012. Habibie had given a lecture on democracy at the University of Selangor in Penang, Malaysia. (*)