Posted on 02/14/2003 6:21:57 PM PST by smpc
ON the eve of Prime Minister John Howard's visit to Indonesia, some local politicians have said many of their countrymen were convinced he was a racist.
They said this perception came from his controversial policies over the past year, including ASIO raids on Indonesian citizens in Australia in the wake of last October's Bali bombings.
Mr Howard flew into Jakarta last night for a weekend visit in which he will try to allay concerns in the world's largest Muslim nation about a possible US-led war on Iraq.
He will have talks with President Megawati Sukarnoputri today.
But some politicians and a former diplomat have dismissed his mission to Jakarta as a domestic political ploy and say that most Indonesians do not believe Australia values its relationship with their nation or Asia.
"The problem with Mr Howard is he is too arrogant and he is a racist," said Djoko Susilo, a member of parliament's foreign affairs committee, who said this view was widely held in the legislature.
Indonesians were convinced Mr Howard was a racist because of his close relationship with the Bush administration and his apparent backing of a US-led attack on Baghdad.
"Since Howard is in office he is more keen to answer to US relations rather than build relations with Asia," Mr Susilo said.
The Prime Minister's refusal to apologise over the ASIO raids coupled with his controversial comments about Australia's right to launch pre-emptive strikes against foreign terrorists, reinforced negative perceptions about him, he said.
Mr Susilo said his committee had met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda and asked the Government to convey to Mr Howard that his controversial statements were damaging the relationship.
A former ambassador to Australia, Sabam Siagian, added that Jakarta was convinced Australia's foreign policy focus was directed towards the US and Australia did not value its relationship with Asia as vital strategic partners.
"Australia and Indonesia are not significant strategic partners any more," he said.
"What the US does or does not do is more important to Australia than a country with more than 200 million people, the largest archipelagic nation which is on Australia's doorstop."
Indonesia has said it will not support any action against Iraq without United Nations backing.
Major Indonesian Muslim groups, however, have condemned any attacks on Iraq. Mr Howard said yesterday he would tell Ms Megawati that Australia's concerns about Iraq were not connected to Islam.
"We have no quarrel with Islam or Islamic countries, we do have a quarrel with countries like Iraq that have dangerous weapons," he said.
Neither do i see supporting the US,like Australia has done for the past 50 years,as racist either.
Supporting America is not some new policy.
To find racism,just ask any Indonesian what they think of Australians.
Or Chinese.
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