ABSTRACT
The evocation of Indo-Malay kin fraternity has been a distinctive feature of the sociology and politics of Indonesia-Malaysia relations. Riding on the legacy of intermarriage, social-cultural exchange, and migration, the pull of kinship has always been strong, and, going by its regular evocation in diplomatic and cultural discourse, continues to be a source of intelligibility for those keen on emphasizing camaraderie between Indonesia and Malaysia. Indeed, the impact of intermarriage and migration that has given rise to a shared linguistic and cultural legacy continues to define much of the cross-border interchange in the Indo-Malay world today. Artistic and literary traditions of the peninsula continue to be traced back to Indonesia. In the early years of Malayan independence, the Malay education system was built around Indonesian teachers, and these educational exchanges remain a feature of relations today. The Indonesian revolution was celebrated in many Malayan quarters in the early post-colonial years, and Indonesian anti-colonialists continue to be lauded as Malay heroes.1
Given the emergence of terminology such as ‘Berkampung’ (to come together as in a village or tribe), ‘Diplomasi Serumpun’ (racial diplomacy), and ‘Musyawarah dan Muafakat’ (consultation and consensus) over the years, a language of kinship appears to have emerged in the lexicon of political relations, one that harks back to pre-colonial notions of community and identity. The resilience of such ideas, along with the continued existence of avenues through which closer relations can be plotted, indicates that the phenomenon of kinship remains of some import in the affairs and identity of the Indo-Malay world.
