Malaysia and Indonesia in the Eyes of the Middle East Arab Community
In the eyes of the Arabs of the Middle East, Malaysia's image is much better than that of Indonesia, even though many Muslim groups in Indonesia praise the Arabs of the Middle East.
Indonesian female workers in Hong Kong expressed their solidarity with Ruhyati who was sentenced to beheading in Saudi Arabia by holding a demonstration in front of the office of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Hong Kong, Sunday (26/6/2011).
There is a striking difference in the perception of the Arab community, especially in the Gulf Arab region, which is a rich and prosperous region in the Middle East, toward Malaysia and Indonesia.
After a long time pursuing an academic career in an “Arab country” in the Middle East and researching the intricacies of society and culture in this region, I have noticed that their view toward Malaysia is far better than that toward Indonesia. In the eyes of the Arabs of the Middle East, Malaysia's image is much better than that of Indonesia, even though many Muslim groups in Indonesia praise the Arabs of the Middle East.