Indonesia, Malaysia, Pendet Dance, and Noordin M. Top

Here in Indonesia, we are familiar with the saying “tetangga adalah keluarga terdekat” (“our neighbors are our closest family”). When we run out of salt or pepper, sugar or spice, the first people we seek help from are our neighbors.

We were taught to help our neighbors when they get in trouble or undergo some sorts of difficulty and crisis (of course without crossing the line between being helpful and being a complete busybody )

I guess I am glad that we still have such proverb to teach to our children. Thanks to our ancestors’ wisdom and our country’s highly rich culture; not only don’t we feel the necessity to claim other’s belonging to declare our national identity, we also still have enough shame not to do such despicable thing.

Which THANK GOD did not happen again recently =)

A firestorm of Internet outrage over the supposed theft of the Balinese pendet dance for a Malaysian tourism ad turned out to be just hot air on Monday, when the Discovery TV network owned up and said that the dancers had appeared in one of its own TV promotions, and it was all a mistake anyway.

“Pendet is ours! Noordin M. Top is yours!” said one popular Twitter message, referring to the Malaysia-born terrorist suspect wanted in connection with the July 17 bombings in Jakarta. 

Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific regrets that the image of a Balinese dancer, sourced from an independent third party, was used in the promotion of the series ‘Enigmatic Malaysia.’ The promotional clip has been removed from all feeds.

source

Because even though we were taught to always help our neighbors and share with them, I don’t think sharing national treasures and a country’s territory is one of them. Innit that correct guvnah?

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UPDATED 23 September 2009:

Noordin is dead, Alhamdulillah. Pendet is still Balinese, and I agree with some comments here saying all this can only be nonsense created to break us apart (Southeast Asian countries, particularly the ones with Muslim majority).

The truth is, Malaysia is the only country (other than Indonesia and Saudi Arabia) that provides washing up at the toilets. Shouldn’t that be telling a lot about who we are, how we live and respect ourselves? (sounds silly I know, but I mean this, people!) At least we clean ourselves up, so we must also remember to clear our hearts and minds, all the time.

It’s true that Indonesian media is open and very transparent-sometimes-provoking (especially after Soeharto era), which brings good and also bad. And yes it is our responsibility to be more careful in processing the informations given.

But referring to what is written above… we’re neighbors. We should love and respect and support each other. Neighbors shouldn’t steal from each other or call each other names. When some stranger from a faraway land visits your home and try to ruin your neighborhood, shouldn’t you unite with your neighbors and kick their sorry ass altogether?

And despite all these conflict, issue, name calling, and everything, most Indonesian girls still love VINCCI and Charles & Keith products anyway *wink*

So, peace please?