F

or decades Pacific countries have been under the shadow of Australia but it seems they need more than just being guesthouse owners or providing cleaning services for Australian tourists.

I am sure both Indonesia and Pacific countries have many things to offer to each other. Like in the case of Fiji, they had invited the Indonesian military to use their jungles as training grounds. I don'€™t know if the invitation was accepted by the Indonesian military.

Fiji is enjoying Indonesian hospitality and was welcomed by Indonesian military for a training course of Fiji military personnel. Indonesia has also provided a training program for Fiji in home industry.

Anyway, I am a peace-loving guy and while the rest of Asian and Western countries are willing to battle each other over the South China Sea, I want Indonesia to stay out and look forward to its own future somewhere else. The Pacific is the closest one; Madagascar is too far away for regional association.

Furthermore, just like Papua New Guinea, many Indonesian former monarchs'€™ relatives and civil servants married with the Dutch.

Even until today intermarriage between people of both countries still continues, but this factor did not stop the people from revolting and fighting for independence and yet today'€™s relationship between the two countries has been enhanced.

All I say about Indonesia'€™s future in the Pacific is a mere suggestion, though my scenario is based on my own view on the development of Indonesia'€™s journey into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

Now, Indonesia is a member of the MSG while Australia is not. Indonesia has made a big step into the Pacific and it is on its way to figuring out its next big steps.

Henning
Jakarta