APSN Banner

Phone tapping revelations dominate the news in Indonesia

Source
The Guardian (Australia) - November 19, 2013

Oliver Laughland, Jakarta – The diplomatic falling-out between Australia and Indonesia following the presidential phone tapping revelations reported by Guardian Australia and the ABC dominated the front pages of all major Indonesian newspapers on Tuesday.

The papers expressed shock, outrage and smatterings of nationalist fervour in reporting and the subsequent opinion pieces.

"Limiting the damage" read the front page of the English-language Jakarta Globe, and the paper ran a double-page spread inside covering both Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa's press conference on Monday and the relative radio silence from Canberra. "No Confirmation, No Apology From Abbott" read its headline. It carried an editorial proclaiming: "Australia has gone too far this time". It said the foreign minister had "every right to re-examine" the Lombok treaty and remarked that "this relationship now lies in tatters. Indonesia's sovereignty has been violated ..." It demanded an apology.

The Jakarta Post led with the front page "Indonesia recalls envoy from Canberra", quoting Indonesian MP and foreign affairs commission member Mahfudz Siddiq as saying: "It's clear that Australia is not a good neighbour and is even a threat." A page two editorial, under the headline "When Australia's cold war mentality goes too far", said Indonesia's National Encryption Agency had "repeatedly warned" that its Australian embassies had been bugged since 1991. "It all goes to show that while the world has changed, Australia's mindset has not," it said.

Papers in the local language, bahasa Indonesia, were more fervent. The influential Kompass, which holds one of the largest readerships in the country, ran with the page-one headline: "Australia is not a good neighbour." It quoted Tjahjo Kumolo, another MP on the foreign affairs commission, calling for diplomats to be expelled. "The foreign ministry has the right to call and deport because this is an insult to the president as the head of state," he said.

Media Indonesia, a Jakarta-based daily owned by Media Group, which also owns the 24-hour news channel Metro TV, ran with the front page: "Indonesia's move to recall its ambassador in Australia was the right decision". An editorial went under the headline "Not an inferior country". It stoked the nationalist flames, proclaiming: "Indonesia should be firm toward the kangaroo country that has betrayed a good relationship. A great country must not feel inferior when its integrity is stepped on by another country which regards itself more superior."

It continued: "It is time for Indonesia to remind the international community that it is a country that cannot be treated in an arbitrary manner."

Rakyat Merdeka, another influential title, ran with the front page headline "Australia turns out to be a dangerous neighbour" and carried news that the president had advised Indonesian intelligence agencies to investigate the tapping revelations.

Away from the press, the story continued to dominate the TV news coverage in Indonesia. And with Tony Abbott's refusal to apologise earlier on Tuesday, the coverage could well continue.

Country