The New = Straits Times Online......

While the the media has stopped vilifying = Indonesian and=20 Malaysian governments try to improve relations, Internet bloggers = from=20 both nations are engaging in a cyberwar over the issue. Something = needs to=20 be done to avert the =91hate mail=92, writes AMY CHEW =

WHEN former = president Suharto=20 passed away last week, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad flew to Solo, = Central Java,=20 for his funeral.

The huge crowd of Indonesian journalists = waiting=20 outside Suharto's home for his body to be taken to Solo murmured: = "Dr=20 Mahathir is coming because Suharto is his old friend."

For = the=20 first time in many months, no negative comments were made about=20 Malaysia.

Malaysia-Indonesia relations have been most = trying after=20 pictures of Indonesian domestic helper, Ceriati, escaping from a = high-rise=20 apartment of her Kuala Lumpur employer by scaling down a rope made = from=20 cloth splashed across the media of both countries last year.
After = Suharto's=20 funeral, Indonesian TV flashed pictures of Dr Mahathir paying = tribute to=20 Suharto, his face showing profound sadness.

"Suharto made = Asean a=20 success," Dr Mahathir told the throng of Indonesian journalists = who=20 surrounded him, eager to hear how he would remember his = friend.

On=20 hearing his emotion-choked voice, the energetic journalists = respectfully=20 made way for Dr Mahathir to be whisked away by Suharto's former=20 son-in-law, retired Lt-Gen Prabowo Subianto.

Dr Mahathir's=20 expression spoke of the depth of his friendship with = Suharto.

It=20 was also a poignant reminder of Malaysia's relations with = Indonesia --=20 diplomatic ties lasting more than 50 years; a shared journey in = bringing=20 prosperity and stability to the region which lifted millions out = of=20 poverty.

Turn off the TV and switch to the Internet, and a = very=20 different picture emerges of the way young Indonesians perceive = Malaysia=20 and vice versa.

While the governments of both countries are = working=20 hard to resolve and improve bilateral issues, youths from Malaysia = and=20 Indonesia are waging a war in cyberspace.

"Maling-sia" = ("maling"=20 means "thief") taunts one Indonesian website. "Malaysia Biadap" = (insolent)=20 says another.

The bahasa halus (refined language) that = defines=20 Indonesian society is lost in vitriolic diatribes by Indonesian = youths=20 angered by reports of the mistreatment of Indonesian migrant = workers in=20 Malaysia, and the beating of Indonesian karate referee Donald = Pieter=20 Luther Kolopita by plainclothes Malaysian policemen last=20 August.

The anger is further fuelled by allegations that = Malaysia=20 has been "stealing" Indonesian arts and culture.

Enraged = young=20 Malaysians respond by calling Indonesia the land of the corrupt.=20

"Corrupt country, always full of natural disasters," reads = a=20 Malaysian website.

"This 'I hate Malaysia' and 'I hate = Indonesia'=20 campaign by the youths of both countries is not healthy," said a = senior=20 Malaysian official, on condition of anonymity.

"If we don't = take=20 steps to improve the current situation -- and both sides must -- = the=20 younger generation, who don't know the historical relationship = between=20 both countries, will be at each other's throats when they read = negative=20 reports about each other.

"It's very important to educate = the=20 younger generation so that they feel more attached to one another = because=20 the future destiny and stability of this region depends on=20 them."

Unlike many parts of the world, Malaysia and = Indonesia have=20 been spared the worst ravages of war, making it possible for both=20 countries to develop their respective economies for jobs and = technological=20 innovation, offering their present generations ways of life beyond = the=20 dreams of their forefathers.

"When you compare this region = with=20 many other parts of the world, you will realise how much effort = both=20 governments, and Asean, have made to keep these countries = together, and to=20 bring peace and stability to the region," said the official. =

"We=20 need to teach the youths of both countries that neighbours do have = problems and must work together within the constraints and = limitations so=20 that whatever problems we have will not expand to such a situation = where=20 we become enemies."

There is also anecdotal evidence that = third=20 parties may be trying to drive a wedge between the two countries = by=20 stirring up the people's anger.

One of the most = controversial=20 websites, I Hate Indon, is full of negative, derogatory comments=20 purportedly made by a Malaysian against Indonesia.

The = website=20 provokes great anger among Indonesian bloggers, but a close = reading=20 reveals the use of Indonesian words like jelek (ugly) and citra = (image),=20 hinting that the blogger may not be Malaysian.

Several = Indonesians=20 warned fellow bloggers that this could be the work of an = Indonesian, and=20 to be on guard against vested interests stirring up = trouble.

The=20 cyberwar exposes unresolved issues between the two countries. = Chief among=20 the unresolved issues is the problem of Indonesian migrant = workers,=20 including greater protection for domestic helpers, ensuring they = are=20 properly paid and well treated.

A quick resolution of = court cases=20 involving domestic helpers and punishment of abusive employers = would also=20 ease tensions.

"The government has asked the judiciary to = speed up=20 the handling of cases involving abuses of domestic helpers," said = the=20 Malaysian official.

"The government attaches great = importance to=20 ensuring good relations with Indonesia, which is fundamentally = vital to=20 the region's prosperity as well as Malaysia's."

Last year, = Malaysia=20 was the fourth largest investor in Indonesia with approved = investments=20 totalling US$2.2 billion (RM7 billion).

"Malaysian = investments are=20 in sectors that create lots of jobs like agriculture, = telecommunications,=20 banking and large infrastructure projects, including US$500 = million (RM1.6=20 billion) in road projects," the official said.

"This shows = we have=20 confidence in Indonesia and we are also providing confidence for = other=20 investors to enter the country."

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