•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

Jakarta. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to deliver a speech tonight to address simmering tensions between Indonesia and Malaysia.

The speech, to be delivered at the Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters at 9 p.m., will also be directed to the people of Malaysia.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha told Detik.com that Yudhoyono would explain the basic principles of Indonesia’s diplomatic relations, particularly in regards to Malaysia.

“Hopefully the speech will bring clarity, especially to the Indonesian people who still question the government’s firmness,” Julian said.

He said the speech was to be delivered at the TNI headquarters for practical reasons because Yudhoyono, a former general, was attending a fast-breaking meal there.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, meanwhile, delivered a speech during Malaysia’s 53rd Independence Day anniversary on Tuesday, saying the country was “committed to defending the country’s independence and sovereignty from internal or external threats.”

Relations between both countries have been strained by a border dispute between the two countries which saw two Indonesian officials briefly detained by Malaysian authorities.

Matters have not been helped by protests from the fringe ultranationalist People’s Democratic Defense (Bendera), who allegedly hurled human feces at the Malaysian Embassy and defiled the nation’s flag.

The Indonesian media has also been criticized for fueling the flames, particularly nationalistic television stations, while politicians have been quick to jump on the popularist bandwagon.

Indonesians in general harbor animosity toward its neighbor for the poor treatment and abuse of Indonesian migrant workers and alleged Malaysian claims on Indonesian cultural objects.

Najib concluded his speech by commenting on the solidity of relations between the two countries.

“Let there be no cracks in what is solid, let there be no break in a relation. May God bless us,” he said.