2009 Pendet controversy

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Pendet Dance Controversy
Part of Indonesia–Malaysia relations
Pendet Dance Indonesia.jpg
Pendet dancers from Bali, Indonesia
DateAugust–October 2009
Location
Caused byMisidentification of the Pendet dance as Malaysian in a Discovery Channel advertisement
MethodsProtests, diplomatic communication, calls for apology
StatusResolved with an apology from Discovery Channel
Parties
Lead figures
Casualties and losses
None
None
Indonesian ultra-nationalist groups organized anti-Malaysia protests, including symbolic "war" preparations

An advertisement for the Discovery Channel program Enigmatic Malaysia in 2009 featured Balinese Pendet dancers, wrongly identifying the Pendet dance as Malaysian. This mistake caused public outrage in Indonesia, leading to protests and requests for an apology from Malaysia.

Background

August 2009: Advertisement and Initial Reactions

The advertisement was created by a private company in Singapore for Discovery Channel’s *Enigmatic Malaysia* program. [1] The incorrect label of Pendet as a Malaysian dance caused strong reactions in Indonesia, where cultural experts, government officials, and the tourism ministry demanded Malaysia explain the mistake. [2] [3]

August 2009: Apology and Further Issues

The Malaysian government clarified that it was not responsible for the ad, and Discovery Channel later apologized, accepting the blame for the mistake. Indonesia’s tourism minister, Jero Wacik, however, rejected the informal apology over the phone, asking for a formal written apology to make it official. [4] [5]

Reactions

Late August 2009: Media and Public Outrage

Even after Discovery Channel’s apology, Indonesian news outlets continued to report the clip as a Malaysian government advertisement, increasing public anger. Indonesian ultra-nationalist groups, like Gemars, organized protests, collected supplies, and began military-style training for a “war” against Malaysia. [6] [7]

September 2009: Security Alerts and Bendera Threats

In response to these threats, Malaysia’s National Security Council secretary, Datuk Mohamed Tajudeen Abdul Wahab, directed Malaysian military and border patrols to tighten security. This was due to the nationalist group Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera), which had previously set up roadblocks in Menteng, Jakarta. The group threatened to “invade” Malaysia with 1,500 members carrying sharpened bamboo spears via air, land, and sea on 08/10/2009. [8] [9]

University Protests and Flag Burning

Several Indonesian universities saw protests where students burned Malaysian flags, including:

Diplomatic Communication and Security Assurances

The Malaysian Foreign Minister contacted the Indonesian ambassador to explain Malaysia’s concerns about the safety of Malaysian citizens in Indonesia. In response, Indonesian authorities, including the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, assured Malaysia they would protect Malaysians in Indonesia. [21]

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Discovery Channel, known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery, is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. As of June 2012, Discovery Channel was the third most widely distributed subscription channel in the United States, behind now-sibling channel TBS and The Weather Channel; it is available in 409 million households worldwide, through its U.S. flagship channel and its various owned or licensed television channels internationally.

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References

  1. Google's cache-Discovery TV apologises for Pendet dance
  2. "Discovery TV apologises for Pendet dance". Archived from the original on 27 August 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  3. Niken Prathivi and Irawaty Wardany (3 September 2009). "Protests over presence of Pendet dance in Malaysia's tourism ad continue". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 29 August 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  4. I Wayan Juniartha (28 August 2009). "Pendet, the dance that rocks the cradle". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  5. Dessy Sagita (27 August 2009). "Indonesian Minister Rejects Malaysian Pendet Apology". The Jakarta Globe. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  6. "Relawan Gasak Malaysia Mulai Latihan Militer". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
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  8. New Straits Times - Security on alert for 'invasion'
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