Bridget Welsh, an honorary research associate at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, expects Prabowo to build his reputation on nationalism by standing up for his country.
She said this was evident when Prabowo spoke on a recent shooting by personnel from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) at five Indonesian nationals during his Jan 27 visit here.
The incident resulted in the death of one man and injuries to the other four.
“His (Prabowo’s) reaction is not unexpected. The issue speaks to the problem of the police’s impunity and systematic poor treatment of migrants, both practices that need to change.
“The issue could gain traction if it is not handled well. This was a police shooting, the Indonesians claim, was in cold blood against an unarmed man – reason for concern,” she told FMT.
Indonesian news website Jakarta Globe recently reported that politician Tubagus Hasanuddin had expressed doubts about the explanation provided by Malaysian authorities regarding the incident, questioning, in particular, the account given by the MMEA.
“It seems odd that the Indonesian nationals would deliberately collide with the MMEA boat, especially since illegal immigrants typically flee when confronted by authorities,” he was quoted as saying on Jan 28.
Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail defended MMEA’s actions, saying the crew had used loudhailers to identify themselves and issued warnings before the Jan 24 shooting.
“The boat sped off and then attempted to ram into the MMEA vessel, specifically targeting its motor, which risked an explosion,” he was quoted as saying by NST on Feb 3.
Touchy Malaysian-Indonesian relations
James Chin, from the University of Tasmania, said the incident could reignite long-standing grievances among Indonesians over Malaysia’s treatment of their nationals.
He said protests in Jakarta, including the pelting of eggs at the Malaysian embassy reported on Jan 30, reflect deep-seated frustrations.
“It is a touchy subject because there have been many cases of mistreatment in the past, particularly involving Indonesian maids in Malaysia,” he told FMT.
“Indonesians are unhappy at how Malaysians generally look down at them, even though their economy is growing fast,” he said.
Chin said Indonesia is a growing economic and geopolitical power and member of the G20, and expects to be treated with respect.
“Malaysians often underestimate Indonesia’s significance, but the reality is that Indonesia is a much larger economy and plays a crucial role in the region,” he said.
Despite growing pressure from Indonesia over the incident, Chin said he expects diplomatic ties to remain intact as both nations understand the economic, cultural and geopolitical importance of their bilateral relationship.