re: geo andrew bolt, re aust. response to corby tr
Geo, my recollection of the Barlow/Chambers case was that there was quite a bit of media attention and concern displayed here in Australia especially when it came to the hanging. The hysteria in the Corby case far exceeds that and I put it down to the negative image of Indonesia that the media have constantly portrayed over the last 30 years. With Malaysia we can find many similarities through our common heritage of the British Commonwealth and have been allies through much of the troubles in region. On the other hand Indonesia has been the enemy during some of those early troubles. However once those troubles were put behind, at least by Indonesia, and as links between Australia and Indonesia increased, Indonesia became the more important country to Australia because of the business opportunities there. When comparing Indonesia and Malaysia there is not much difference generally, both have similar societies and problems and way of life. If you compare the problems the Chinese have in both countries, they have both suffered but they probably have more acceptance and the greatest opportunity in Indonesia to succeed. In the period after WW2 Australians were better received in Malaya until after it became Malaysia and then gradually Indonesia, since the mid 60's, gradually overtook Malaysia in their acceptance of Australians until the East Timor debacle in 1999. Our relationship as it stands is a product of media manipulation. If they had chosen to be positive rather than negative towards Indonesia over the last 30 years we would have a completely different, and more realistic perception of a near neighbour. We have been sold a pup with 3 legs.
