Get well soon, Indonesia

Showing support: An image from the ‘Upin & Ipin’ social media account saying ‘May Indonesia recover soon’. The Malaysian cartoon series is hugely popular in Indonesia. — @upinipinoffcial/Instagram

FOR the longest time, citizens from Malaysia and Indonesia have been arguing over which country could claim to be where batik originated or where rendang was first made. At one time even popular song Rasa Sayang became a point of contention.

Such quarrels take place from time to time, especially over social media. Those of us who follow such battles (read: friendly mudslinging) between the two countries accept these storms in teacups as the norm. A Malaysian friend living in Jakarta considers it as just having good fun on social media and insists the arguments are in jest.