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President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed regret over the sweeps reportedly being carried out against Malaysian nationals in Indonesia.

“I hope there will be no excessive actions that are against the law [taken] by any of us, such as the sweeping operations against Malaysian nationals. Sweeps are not a good thing to do,” the president said during the opening of a plenary session of the cabinet on Thursday.

The president said that sweeping operations would only create new problems while the government was seeking diplomatic solutions to several bilateral issues.

On Tuesday, a group calling itself Bendera, for “Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat” (People’s Democratic Front), reportedly stopped people on a Jakarta street while carrying bamboo spears in a search for Malaysian nationals.

Separately, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said he had been assured that the Indonesian government would ensure the safety of Malaysians in the country. He said this was conveyed to him by Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia, Da’i Bachtiar, during a meeting on Wednesday.

“I have conveyed to Try Sutrisno Malaysia’s worry about the safety of Malaysian citizens in Indonesia and he has promised to bring it up with the Indonesian government. The Indonesian ambassador in our meeting earlier today told me they were taking action to ensure no harm comes to Malaysians,” the prime minister said, referring to the former Indonesian vice president who plays a leading role in the Indonesia-Malaysia Eminent Persons Group.

Meanwhile, amid the mounting tensions between the two countries, two Acehnese found guilty of the possession and sale of marijuana have been sentenced to death by hanging by a court in Malaysia’s Selangor state.

Widyarka Ryananta, the Indonesian Embassy’s information, social and cultural affairs counselor, confirmed on Thursday that both Zakaria Bintang, 45, and Ridwan Hasan, 36, had heard the verdict on Thursday. Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah, added that both men were caught during a police sting and were found to be in possession of 4.7 kilograms of marijuana.

“It’s actually an old case, the Malaysian police detained them back in 2005, when they found them with the marijuana,” Widyarka said. “Malaysia is very strict about drugs.”

He said that the case was considered substantial, and that Malaysia was known for its tough penalties in drug cases. But he said the two men could appeal.

Both Widyarka and Faizasyah said the Indonesian government always made every effort to assist its citizens overseas. Widyarka said the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia would help both Acehnese appeal the verdict and seek a lesser sentence.

“We are going to appeal this matter,” Faizasyah said.

However, he would not comment further on the case, or say how many Indonesians have been sentenced to hang for drug-related crimes in Malaysia.



JG, Antara