EPG PROPOSES SEMINAR ON MALAYSIA-INDONESIA CULTURAL ROOTS

By Mohd Nasir Yusoff

JAKARTA, March 17 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia-Indonesia Eminent Persons Group
(EPG), which is set to submit its inaugural report to leaders of both countries
tomorrow, has recommended that a seminar be held to showcase the cultural roots
of the peoples of Malaysia and Indonesia.

Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Zainal Abidin Mohamed Zain said the EPG
would submit the report to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Malaysia-Indonesia annual
consultation at the Istana Negara here.

"This is the sixth annual consultation involving leaders of both
countries," he told Bernama Monday.

Zainal Abidin said Abdullah and Susilo would also open the seminar themed
"Raising the Collective Memory of the Race" which the EPG had recommended in its
report.

The seminar would touch on the history of friendship, heritage and culture
of the peoples of Indonesia and Malaysia who shared similar cultural roots, he
said.

He said that the seminar would show that both countries once shared similar
roots before going separate ways due to various events in their long history.

It would be attended by academicians and historians from both countries, he
added.

"We share similar heritage... this is important for the younger generation
to realise so that they no longer need to engage in war of words on the Internet
on issues which should not be blown out of proportion," he said.

Similar seminar had also been planned in Malaysia, he said, adding that it
was imporant to organise such a seminar continuously for the benefit of both
countries' younger generations.

Zainal Abidin declined to reveal the other EPG recommendations.

EPG Malaysia is headed by former Deputy Prime Minister Musa Hitam while
former Vice-President Gen Try Sutrisno heads EPG Indonesia.

-- BERNAMA