Malaysia as an “Other” in Indonesian popular discourse

This article reads contemporary popular publications in Indonesia on the topic of Indonesian–Malaysian relations. It looks at how Indonesia perceives Malaysia and the function of that perception in relation to Indonesian national identity. The article also looks at how Indonesian perceptions of Malaysia were discussed during the revolutionary period by reading the speeches held at the constitutional meeting (BPUPKI) and the Konfrontasi period, reading the speeches written by Sukarno and the letter of Pan-Malay leader exiled in Indonesia, Ibrahim Yaacob. The article then compares the ideas espoused by Sukarno, Yaacob and others in the past and the arguments presented in the present day concerning Malaysia. A preliminary conclusion is reached that geopolitical anxiety and not kinship is a more important factor in how contemporary Indonesia sees Malaysia.