Who will gain the respect - Malaysian or Indonesian?

After Indonesia recalled its ambassador from Canberra on Monday, BBC reported Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced suspended co-operation with Australia.

This is in reaction to spying allegations by Australia as reported in the Australian media from documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

On October 29, The Guardian of UK and Des Spiegel of Germany 's exposed American spying operations in countries including Malaysia. [Read in Outsyed the Box here.]

Dato Hishamuddin immediately made a statement to request for an answer. There have been answers as reported.

Our reaction?

BBC report on the Indonesian reaction is as follows:

20 November 2013

Indonesia halts Australia co-operation amid spying row

Mr Yudhoyono said he would demand for a letter to explain spying

Indonesia has suspended co-ordinated military co-operation with Australia amid an ongoing row over reports Canberra spied on Jakarta officials.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the suspension included operations to stop people-smuggling, joint military exercises and intelligence exchange.

The move came after Jakarta recalled its ambassador from Canberra on Monday.

Reports of the spying allegations came out in Australian media from documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The leaked document showed that Australian spy agencies named Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the first lady, the vice-president and other senior ministers as targets for telephone monitoring, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Guardian said.

The alleged spying took place in 2009, under the previous government. Australia and Indonesia are key allies and trading partners.

"It is not possible that we can continue our co-operation when we are still uncertain that there is no spying towards us," Mr Yudhoyono said.

He added he would also write to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to seek an official explanation over spying allegations.

The decision came after Mr Yudhoyono met with top officials, including the recalled Indonesian ambassador to Australia, to discuss the country's relationship with one of its closest neighbours, reports say.

"We're not only reviewing our co-operation with Australia, we're actually already implementing the downgrading of our bilateral relations with Australia," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa also said on Wednesday.

He added that Australia "must take concrete steps" to "repair the almost irreparable damage". He added that the relationship between both countries was "not business as usual".

Strained relations

Mr Yudhoyono said on Tuesday that ties with Australia had been "damaged" over what he said was "hurtful action".

Mr Abbot reiterated on Wednesday he regretted the embarrassment the media reports have caused.

However, he has also previously said he does not believe Australia "should be expected to apologise for reasonable intelligence-gathering operations".

The document based on a presentation from the Defence Signals Directorate - now known as the Australian Signals Directorate - showed that agencies attempted to listen to Mr Yudhoyono's calls at least once. They also tracked calls made to and from his mobile phone in August 2009.

The row is the latest in a series of spying allegations that have strained relations between the two allies, whose relationship include co-operation on asylum-seekers and anti-terrorism, among issues.

Earlier this month, Indonesia also expressed anger over reports that Australia's Jakarta embassy was used as part of a US-led spying network in Asia.

Malaysia had made the request earlier.

Malaysia did protest the spying allegation through Foreign Minister, Dato Anifah Aman. [Read in BBC here.]

Contrary to the Australian reaction, the American could still play diplomacy. It is as though they ignored our protest and it will be 'business as usual'. The bernama report, below:

15 November 2013| last updated at 10:47PM

Spying allegation will not affect US-Malaysia ties: US State Dept

KUALA LUMPUR: Allegations pertaining to the United States spying activities would not adversely affect Washington-Kuala Lumpur ties, said Jane Chongchit Houston, the US State Department's country coordinator for Maritime Southeast Asia, Office of Public Diplomacy.

She said the US was open to any dialogue if there was disagreement, and the strong people-to-people connection between Malaysians and Americans would help overcome any issue involving the two countries.

"It is easier to solve matters if there is more human interaction between two countries.

"People-to-people relations between Malaysia and the US is very strong, with annually more than 100 people involved in exchange programmes at various levels, including students and professionals," she told Bernama during a dinner with Malaysia-American Exchange Programmes Alumni organised by the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur here last night.

Houston, who is based in Washington DC, was on a two-day visit here after visiting Manila, Jakarta and Singapore. She visited Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (Unitar) to discuss opportunities for the students to undergo internship in the US and the Islamic Arts Museum. 

Houston said since US and Malaysia established diplomatic ties in 1957, more than 6,000 Malaysians had been sent to the US for various exchange programmes, including the International Visitor Leadership Programme, trainings, internships and student exchange programmes.

"These exchange programme alumni members have better understanding on the US and will make positive impact in bilateral ties when they become leaders in future. The alumni members are the solid foundation for a stronger US-Malaysia ties later," she reasoned.

The issue of US spying activities surfaced, following newspaper reports on an allegation by intelligence whistle-blower Edward Joseph Snowden that the US had 90 electronic surveillance facilities worldwide, including in the US Embassy here.

According to earlier reports, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Malaysia, in principle, opposed any spying activity on any government as it involved the question of national sovereignty. 

Malaysia also sent protest notes to the US Embassy and the Australian High Commission here on the alleged spying by both the foreign missions in this country. -- BERNAMA

Another subsequent response as follows:

US envoy: No knowledge on alleged CIA presence in AG's Chambers

Bernama | Updated: November 20, 2013

GEORGE TOWN: United States (US) Ambassador to Malaysia, Joseph Y. Yun (pic) has no knowledge on the alleged presence of two American intelligence agents at the Attorney-General's (AG) Chambers.

"I have not heard of that (any spying activity by the US' Central Intelligence Agency at the AG's Chambers).

"I think there was a clear statement by your government, two days ago, on the matter and I don't want go beyond it," he said.

Yun was speaking at a media conference after attending the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce's Penang Dialogue 2013 here Wednesday, which was also attended by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

On Monday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri had rubbished an allegation on the presence of two American intelligence agents at the AG's Chambers. She said such claims were unfounded.

Yun said US President Barack Obama had made clear that the US would review its current activities and thereafter, make a decision on balancing the security needs with privacy concerns.

The allegation on the presence of CIA agents in the AG's Chambers was raised by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when debating the Supply Bill 2014....

The Americans are not answering but diverting the issue. Strangely, we are repeating in agreement. Suspect that there was a high level secret discussion and an agreement reached.

At the end, the Indonesian looks firm, will be feared and gained respect. That is what blogger Putera Merdeka thinks [Read here].