One Indonesian View of the Malaysia Issue

Abstract

Indonesia underwent several decades of struggle before finally gaining independence. Many patriots sacrificed themselves for their country. Dozens of leaders were jailed or lived miserably in exile. But the leaders of Indonesia's struggle were not solely concerned with a free Indonesia; they also demanded the liberation of all peoples from every type of colonial domination and oppression. Once Indonesia had achieved independence, the ending of colonialism everywhere became one of the objectives of its foreign policy. This objective was even incorporated into the Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, which states that: freedom is truly the right of all peoples and therefore colonial domination throughout the world should be abolished, because it is contrary to the principles of humanitarianism and justice. Besides building up a free, united, sovereign, just and prosperous Indonesia, the Preamble concludes, the government of Indonesia shall participate in all efforts to bring about a new world based on freedom, eternal peace and social justice. It is, therefore, the duty of every Indonesian government to carry out this policy of for all peoples, because this policy is formulated in the Preamble to the Constitution together with the Pantjasila, the five basic principles of the State philosophy. Indonesia has no territorial claims whatsoever beyond the area of the former Netherlands Indies. From the very beginning Indonesian nationalism was not determined by identical origin, identical language or identical religion, but had its basis in the realization of various component parts that they formed one entity with a common destiny and purpose. Under Dutch colonial domination, which lasted for more than 300 years, the different ethnic groups in the former Netherlands Indies became aware of sharing the same destiny. It is this phenomenon that provided the base for Indonesian nationalism and thereby defined the territorial limits of the present free and unified Republic of Indonesia. Although the inhabitants of North Borneo, under British colonial domination, share the same island and are of the same race, Indonesia does not demand that this area become Indonesian territory. The same applies to the attitude of Indonesian nationalism towards the part of the island of Timor under Portuguese domination. Beyond the area of the former Netherlands Indies, Indonesia has no territorial aspirations. And since West Irian, which the Dutch tried to keep separate, has been returned, Indonesia has now acquired all its own territory.