Jakarta – Some 200 Indonesian workers gathered peacefully in front of the worker's quarters of the YP Plantation Holdings in Rompin, Malaysia, on Wednesday to protest against attempts by certain groups to create tension between Malaysia and Indonesia, Antara has reported.

The protesters, who gathered for about half an hour, carried banners that read, "Kumpulan bendera jangan cemari kami" (the Bendera group don't undermine us), "Kami mencari rezeki halal di Malaysia" (We are working for a rightful livelihood in Malaysia) and "Malaysia dan Indonesia serumpun" (Malaysia and Indonesia are of the same stock). Local authorities later ordered the group to disperse as the gathering did not have a police permit.

One of the workers, Talib Halim Abdullah, 38, from Flores, West Nusa Tenggara, said they wanted to protest against the actions of small groups of Indonesians who had displayed hatred against Malaysia.

Talib, who has been working at the plantation for seven years, said they were treated well by the Malaysian government. "There is really no need to disturb Malaysia. We live in peace here," he said.

Another worker, Tupan Pramana Putra, 38, from Central Java said the people of both countries should live in harmony as they came from the same stock. He did not agree with the actions of Bendera, saying the people of both countries should instead work together to develop their respective countries.

Bendera vigilantes recently launched raids searching for Malaysians in the streets of Jakarta and threatened to wage war on Malaysia. This was the second protest by Indonesian workers following one in Cameron Highlands on Sunday.