Angry Indonesian lawmakers call Lee Kuan Yew "Liar"
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Indonesian lawmakers want explanation from Lee
Abdul Khalik
The Jakarta Post
26 Sep 06
Angry lawmakers are demanding a public apology and explanation from Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew after he reportedly said the minority Chinese-Indonesian community was being systematically marginalized.
"The statement is full of lies. We are very upset because it has disgraced Indonesia. We will ask the government to send a letter of protest to Lee," Djoko Susilo, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing security and international affairs, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Djoko, who represents the National Mandate Party (PAN), said there was no longer discrimination or systematic marginalization of the ethnic Chinese here.
"Now, the minority Chinese has access to all positions, even in the military. We even have ministers and lawmakers from the ethnic group."
According to reports, Lee told a forum in Singapore it was vital for the Chinese majority state to stand up to its majority Muslim neighbors, Malaysia and Indonesia.
He said the attitude of Malaysia and Indonesia toward Singapore had been shaped by the way the countries treated their own ethnic Chinese minorities.
"Our neighbors both have problems with their Chinese. They are successful. They are hard working and, therefore, they are systematically marginalized," Lee was quoted as saying.
Malaysian leaders also have reportedly demanded an apology from Lee.
Another lawmaker from Commission I, Amris Hassan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), criticized Lee's remarks for the danger they posed to Indonesian unity as well as ASEAN's good relations.
"It is very dangerous for our unity because the false feeling of some people here will be justified, and they will think that marginalization really exists. Beside obstructing our bilateral relations, the remarks also hinder the process of establishing the ASEAN community."
Amris said Lee should issue a public apology, rectify his statement and explain what he meant not only to Indonesian leaders but also to the Indonesian people.
Indonesians of Chinese descent account for approximately 3 percent, or around six million, of the country's 220 million population.
Then president B.J. Habibie issued a decree ordering government officials to treat all Indonesians the same after he took power in 1998. In 1999, he renewed the call by issuing a decree banning discrimination against Indonesians based on their origins.
It was during the presidency of his successor, Abdurrahman Wahid, that Chinese-Indonesians were allowed to practice their faith and have cultural performances in public.
However, almost a decade after the antidiscrimination regulations, reports continue of persistent discriminative administrative policies in obtaining birth certificates, ID cards, family card and a citizenship certificate (SBKRI).
"We should analyze Lee's statement carefully because I think this time his remarks were not a slip of the tongue," Hariyadi Wirawan, an international relations expert at the University of Indonesia, told the Post.
"He's aiming at something. Probably, Indonesia is pressing Singapore on returning 'blacklisted' businesspeople, who happen to be ethnic Chinese who fled to the country, in recent extradition talks." -
"If anybody calls me a liar and dishonest, I'll take him straightaway to court. I'll be in the witness box..."
(Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, 9 May 2006) -
Originally posted by Texcoco II:
wow.. looks like LKW has got his hands full this time...so is he gonna sue half the Indonesian legistration?
[b]"If anybody calls me a liar and dishonest, I'll take him straightaway to court. I'll be in the witness box..."
(Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, 9 May 2006)
[/b]
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Originally posted by Texcoco II:
[b]"If anybody calls me a liar and dishonest, I'll take him straightaway to court. I'll be in the witness box..."
(Lee Kuan Yew, Straits Times, 9 May 2006)
[/b]
LKY dare not stands in court althought he had double law hons degrees!!!
But I heard his Gods dare !!! u know who????? -
The indonesian and malaysian chinese I know agree with LKY's recent statements actually. Only the non-chinese are saying he's lying.
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My relatives in malaysia, chinese btw says they are alright lei..Originally posted by av98m:The indonesian and malaysian chinese I know agree with LKY's recent statements actually. Only the non-chinese are saying he's lying.
never kena wad dunno margin... oh well maybe tats becos they are rich.. -
My relatives still prefer studying and working in singapore. They don't like the preferential treatment for malays.Originally posted by mhcampboy:My relatives in malaysia, chinese btw says they are alright lei..
never kena wad dunno margin... oh well maybe tats becos they are rich.. -
i wonder what will happen if they issue an arrest warrant for lee kuan yew and sue him in the courts of indonesia and malaysia.
he forever cannot go there any more. -
the way i see it if there is muslim state, there is discrimination against the other religions
same goes for any other religious state, but we are concerned about the muslim one in this case -
[quote]Originally posted by Texcoco II:
[b]
REWARD!!!!!
[WANTED MAN BY MALAYSIA N INDON GOV!!!!
S$ 1 billion 2 bring him in Malaysia n Indon!!!!
LIMITED PERIOD ONLY EXPIRED SOON!!! -
why slip mouth? nothing to do ah.......
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Yes, even though there are some truths in what LKY has said, but, if based on the basis of REPUTATION as a government (as pointed by himself), he has DEFAMED both Malaysia's and Indonesia's gov.Originally posted by av98m:The indonesian and malaysian chinese I know agree with LKY's recent statements actually. Only the non-chinese are saying he's lying.
Ahh.. but perhaps then one might reply by saying; he can well afford the money to pay for damages. Yes true. But I doubt he can well afford the HUMILITY to do so. -
Why can't LKY just STFU? He's going to die soon and still cause so much troubles.
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time for ah lee to repay all the monies he got from suing and got from his political rivals and non-rivals too
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hehehe..
don't be so happy that he gets sued by both Malaysia and Indonesia; what if he digs into our monies to pay off damages? Will we ever know? Can we even tell?
We can never know... -
Maybe its LKY way of steering the lawsuit against FEER away from the headlines, but inadvertently backfired.
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I think the irony is, that he chose to come out and say all that at a time when the gahmen is putting so much emphasis on "racial harmony" in our education systemOriginally posted by ShutterBug:Yes, even though there are some truths in what LKY has said, but, if based on the basis of REPUTATION as a government (as pointed by himself), he has DEFAMED both Malaysia's and Indonesia's gov.
Ahh.. but perhaps then one might reply by saying; he can well afford the money to pay for damages. Yes true. But I doubt he can well afford the HUMILITY to do so.
Yes, I'm 100% sure he will neither pay nor apologise. He's always made it clear that the rules do not apply to him. -
On the contary, I've a feeling that he's going to live to a very ripe old age. He has 2 things in his favour:Originally posted by NUS_Superst@r:Why can't LKY just STFU? He's going to die soon and still cause so much troubles.
1. Evil men usually live very long lives
2. He has access to the very best medical/healthcare technology that money can buy. Our current PM recovered fully from cancer didn't he? -
Our current PM had cancer?!?!?!Originally posted by av98m:On the contary, I've a feeling that he's going to live to a very ripe old age. He has 2 things in his favour:
1. Evil men usually live very long lives
2. He has access to the very best medical/healthcare technology that money can buy. Our current PM recovered fully from cancer didn't he?
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u dont know meh....Originally posted by ditzy:Our current PM had cancer?!?!?!
this in the 1990s.....
suddenly went on buying spree for property.....
as security....
so can give kids...
in case he died....
he had cancer of the lymph nodes... -
Yes. He and our late President Ong Teng Cheong were both diagnosed with cancer many years ago. If not for the cancer he wouldn't have taken so long to become PM.Originally posted by ditzy:Our current PM had cancer?!?!?! -
Oh i see, I'm very apathetic to the political scene of singapore one.
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Malaysia and Indonesia has been suffering a brain drain for years and years ....
we're one major destinations for a large number of them, but a larger number had drifted to many countries in the west too ...
but oh well, whatever, it's time for the periodic Singapore bashing again, so nothing new there ... -
Indonesians taking revenge on Sg now....
They not happy with LKY and now burn their forests to send their smoke to cover over entire Sg and sarfocate us. -
he recovered a long time ago.Originally posted by ditzy:Our current PM had cancer?!?!?!