Anti-Malaysia fever migrates to Internet
(The Straits Times) KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 – While anti-Malaysia protests in Indonesia have subsided on the streets, angry Indonesians are still taking to the Internet to express their anger against their neighbours.
Hundreds of thousands of netizens have joined groups such as Anti-Malaysia (Malingsia) and Ganyang Malaysia on social networking site Facebook.
One of the biggest, Anti-Malaysia (Malingsia), boasts more than 318,000 members, and its “wall” features an image of a skeleton in the middle of a disfigured Malaysian flag.
“Ganyang” means “crush” and “maling” means “steal” in Malay, a reference to Indonesians’ belief that Malaysia has been adopting as its own what they see as Indonesian culture and heritage.
The angry rhetoric on the Net mirrors the anger seen on the streets of Jakarta earlier this week, when Indonesians staged protests and attempted to search for Malaysian passers-by.
The ill will surfaced after Indonesians saw a Malaysian tourism promotion video clip featuring the pendet dance, which Indonesians say is theirs. Discovery Channel cable network, which broadcast the video, apologised for the clip produced by a private company – and not by the government – but this did not calm emotions in Indonesia.
On Facebook, more than 300 groups have been formed that include the names “malingsia” or “ganyang malaysia”. Thousands of members have slammed Malaysia with criticism and derogatory comments – many including vulgarities – in discussions and forums.
“Kick them, one day Malaysia will become a province of Indonesia,” wrote one netizen who goes by the title of “Arjito”, echoing numerous other calls to “kill Malaysia”.
There were cooler heads, however. Some forum members distinguished, in their criticism, between ordinary Malaysians and their government.
“Malaysians are not guilty,” wrote group member Afandi Weda in Bahasa Indonesia. “This is the Malaysian government’s fault. Malaysians know Indonesian culture has been claimed by the Malaysian government.”
Another member going by the title of “Iwan Cool” called for calm. “Let’s do good deeds and stop insulting. Help Indonesians and citizens of the neighbouring countries … we can convince through diplomacy.”
Hundreds of photos and videos mocking Malaysia have also been posted on the Net, and scores of new websites and blogs on the topic have emerged.
Malaysia’s New Straits Times daily found a site, www.malingsia.com, parodying the country’s efforts to promote itself as a travel destination.
The official “Visit Malaysia” logo has been changed, with the word “Malingsia” replacing “Malaysia”.
The site also advertises the sale of “Save Ambalat” T-shirts, referring to the ongoing territorial dispute over the oil- and gas-rich Ambalat area in the Sulawesi Sea.
