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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.