Overturned Flag Incident: When Malaysia Hurts The Hearts Of The Indonesian People At The 2017 SEA Games

JAKARTA - Indonesia-Malaysia relations are often seen as fine in the world. Both are considered great powers in Malay clumps. However, that does not mean that the two have no conflict. Conflicts between the two countries often occur from regional to cultural claims.

Indonesia-Malaysia conflict is heating up when Indonesia is humiliated at the 2017 SEA Games. Malaysia seemed to deliberately load the Indonesian flag upside down in the event guidebook. The incident drew criticism from all over Indonesia.

Cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia has been running since the New Order era (Orba). This narrative makes relations between the two countries closer. Moreover, the two leaders of the two countries often visit each other. However, that does not mean that the two countries are free from conflict.

Conflict between the two countries arises from the issue of island and cultural claims. The image of Malaysia as a cultural claimer surfaced because the neighboring country often recognized the work of the Indonesian catfishhur. Malaysia once claimed a regional song: Rasa Sayange. Malaysia has also claimed a dance from Bali, the Pendet Dance.

The incident is increasingly occurring in the 2000s. As a result, the heat pressure can emerge at any time. The peak of the heat tension between the two countries appeared in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur from 19-30 August 2017. The special sports celebration in the Southeast Asian region was initially greeted with joy. His opening drew praise.

Everything has changed because of Malaysia's actions. This time the problem that arose was not a matter of island or cultural claims. The problem arose because Malaysia was considered to have insulted Indonesia by putting the Indonesian flag upside down -- the red color below, white above -- in the 2017 SEA Games guidebook.

The incident went viral by the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora), Imam Nahrawi on August 19, 2017. The guidebook was not a misprint. It also appears in just one book, but is present in all the guidebooks distributed as souvenirs.

Information related to Malaysian insults spread throughout Indonesia. There are protests everywhere. Demonstrations have emerged. The Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta and the Malaysian Consul in Pekanbaru are the main targets.

The Indonesian people demanded that the Malaysian government come and apologize directly to the government and all Indonesian people. The lines of the social media era were also filled with hashtags #sameonyoumayasia and #ganyangmayasia.

"The opening of #SEAgames2017 is good but is injured by a very painful fatal negligence. Our flag... Red and White. Astaghfirullah," said Imam Nahrawi on his Twitter / X account @ Himam_nahrawi, 19 August 2017.

The anger of the Indonesian people is unstoppable. A number of state officials and representatives of the people also criticized and condemned Malaysia. They considered Malaysia outrageous. The action was considered a form of intent.

Gatot Nurmantyo also echoed the protest. The 2015-2017 TNI commander regretted the SEA Games-class sporting celebration marked by the reverse flag incident. Gatot immediately sent a protest note to the Malaysian government.

Gatot is waiting for the Malaysian government to clarify. The Malaysian government did not close its eyes. They witnessed the great turmoil that appeared in the reverse flag incident. Relations between the two countries could be destroyed. This condition made the Malaysian government take a stand.

Malaysian Foreign Minister, Dato Sri Anifah Haji Aman, immediately apologized to the government and all Indonesian people on August 20, 2017. They promised to thoroughly investigate the flag overturned.

The apology was accepted. However, this condition did not make the mass action end. Then, the Malaysian Consul in Pekanbaru also apologized to the Indonesian people on August 22, 2017. The Indonesian government immediately accepted an apology.

Indonesian Defense Minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu asked the people not to raise problems anymore. He revealed that Malaysia had apologized directly to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). He considered Malaysia in that case accidental.

Ryamizard was kind to think that Malaysia could not have bad intentions, especially since the 2017 SEA Games was not an anchovy of sports. The Malaysian government is also willing to investigate the issue of the reverse flag incident. Recently, the conflict subsided by itself.

"Don't exaggerate, you've apologized to the President, we'll be patient, don't look for enemies. He must have been accidentally," Ryamizard said as quoted by sampas.com, August 22, 2018.