tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5079583836622210732.post7050554487208092282..comments2024-03-27T17:18:13.724+08:00Comments on Indonesia-Institute Inc: Indonesia Today: Abbott Hits a Dead End in IndonesiaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5079583836622210732.post-73614250566625066102013-12-08T21:45:32.726+08:002013-12-08T21:45:32.726+08:00The saddest aspect of Mark Latham's article ab...The saddest aspect of Mark Latham's article above, about Australia-Indonesia relations, is found in his suggestion that "..the best approach for Australia is to keep Indonesia at arms length".<br /> <br />Unfortunately for Australia, I suspect many leading Indonesians would support that view. They also have simply had enough; of Australia. <br /><br />Too much 'stop the boats'; too many Bali holidays gone wrong; too many patronising lectures on how Indonesia needs to 'do things better', and almost no serious constructive engagement with this emerging giant.<br /> <br />For some time now Indonesia has been looking north whilst we have gazed south at our navels. The spying issue has been 'the last straw'. It's all too hard. You can 'feel' the ambivalence emanating from Indonesia over the past two weeks.<br /> <br />So as we go into 2014, a combination of this ambivalence and the Indonesian national election process will see Australia pushed to one side leaving us to wonder once again where IS our rightful place in the Asian Century.<br /> <br />Ross B. Taylor AMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217162104714606400noreply@blogger.com