Govt Should Not Be Deluded Malaysian Statement

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian government and people should not be deluded by the Malaysian consul general's statement on the controversy regarding Malaysia's ownership claim over two North Sumatran traditional art forms, according to an observer.

"The government and people should not be fooled by Malaysian Consul General Norlin Binti Othman, who said the controversy about Malaysia's claim over the Tor-Tor dance and Paluan Gondang Sembilan music has arisen as a result of misunderstanding," international law observer of the University of Indonesia Hikmahanto Juwana said here on Thursday.

Earlier, Norlin noted that the term "diperakui" (recognised) or "memperakui" (to recognise) in Malaysia was meant to connote adoption, endorsement or approval; it did not imply ownership over the art forms.

However, Hikmahanto said: "It is not clear what article or section of the Malaysian National Heritage Law the Malaysian consul general was referring to when she said `diperakui' or 'memperakui'.

In the Malaysian National Heritage Law, he explained, there were no such terms as "diperakui" or "memperakui", adding that what existed was the term "to declare" a cultural heritage as a national heritage.(IGT)