Post Bali Nine Damage Control: Indonesia Needs ‘No Aid’ From Australia; But Wants To Rebuild Friendship

The Indonesian government has expressed interest in improving its relationship with Australia after the executions of Bali Nine kingpins Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. However, the country would not be concerned if Australia stopped foreign aid to Indonesia in the upcoming federal budget. Indonesia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Arrmanatha Nasir said in reaction to Australia’s ambassador, Paul Grigson’s exit from the country. He said, they are definitely looking ahead at ways to improve the cooperation.

“As I have said on many occasions, the Indonesia and Australia relationship is an important partnership, not only for Indonesia, but I believe for Australia,” he added.

Indonesia wants to immediately start working on building its relationship with Australia in many areas, including; security, politics, economy and culture.

Australian citizens Sukumaran and Chan were among the eight prisoners to be executed in Indonesia last week, while one Filipina received a last-minute reprieve from facing the firing squad. The executed duo was arrested in Bali a decade ago for a drug-related crime, including seven others. The other convicts of Bali Nine have received life imprisonment in Indonesia.

Mr. Nasir further said, “Indonesia at the moment is no longer a country that needs aid for development,” he said. “Nevertheless, any aid given by Australia is their effort to increase, to strengthen our partnership. “And so, it’s their right to give, but Indonesia is not asking.”

Meanwhile, in the wake of the executions, Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that the relationship with Indonesia is witnessing a tough time and that she is unsure of when Australia's ambassador would resume his office in Jakarta. Indonesia have been criticised worldwide over execution of foreigners last week.

Speaking to the reporters in Perth, she said, "For the past three months, the focus of that relationship has been very much on seeing a stay of the executions, and hoping that president Widodo would change his mind in relation to the execution of the two Australians and indeed others.”

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