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President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s love of music was publicly acknowledged by Australia’s prime minister on Wednesday after he was presented with a handmade guitar during his three-day visit to the country. 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he hoped Yudhoyono, who has a well-known penchant for singing and songwriting, would enjoy the Australian-made Maton acoustic guitar. 

Yudhoyono, who recently released his third album, “ Ku Yakin Sampai di Sana ” (“I’m Certain I’ll Get There”), featuring songs he had written performed by prominent Indonesian singers, accepted the gift with a smile. 

The president on Wednesday also became the first Indonesian leader — and only the fifth foreign head of state — to address the Australian Parliament in Canberra in its 109-year history. 

“The message is clear and simple,” Yudhoyono said in his speech, “that Australia and Indonesia have a big future together. We’re not only friends, we’re not only neighbors, we’re strategic partners.” 

The president said that chief among the challenges confronting bilateral relations were the wrong perceptions that many citizens from both countries had of each other. 

“I was surprised when I found out that in a recent survey of the Lowy Institute, 54 percent of Australian respondents had doubts that Indonesia would act responsibly in its international relations,” he said. 

In an era of Internet and cable TV, Yudhoyono said he was dismayed many Australians still saw Indonesia as an authoritarian country, a military dictatorship, a nest of Muslim extremists or even as an expansionist neighbor. 

On the other hand, he said many Indonesians were Australia-phobic, believing that the idea of a White Australia — based on past government policy to exclude non-European settlers from Australia — still existed, and that Australians had a hidden agenda to support separatist movements in Indonesia. 

“I want all Australians to know that Indonesia is the third-largest country in the democratic world,” Yudhoyono said. “We are passionate about independence, moderation, freedom of religion and tolerance. And far from being hostile, we want to create a strategic environment indicated by ‘a million friends, zero enemies.’ ” 

The president said he welcomed Australian government efforts to establish Asian languages in schools and universities, adding that he expected the program to not only give Australia the edge in Asia, but also give it the best understanding of Indonesia. 

Rudd, in his address before Yudhoyono spoke, said that the rare opportunity to address the Parliament was granted to Yudhoyono because of his efforts to strengthen the bilateral relationship and because of his role in promoting democracy and international cooperation. 

“This is a symbol of the connection between the two countries as neighbors, friends and as a part of the world’s democratic activities,” he said. 

Tony Abbott, leader of the opposition Liberal Party, said Yudhoyono’s visit reflected the good relations between the countries. “Multilateral coordination is important, but the friendship between Indonesia and Australia is also very important,” he said. 

 

Antara & JG