Indonesian MP Tantowi Yahya says Coalition's asylum seeker policy threatens to damage relations

Updated

A member of the Indonesian parliamentary foreign affairs commission has described the Federal Government's asylum seeker policy as "offensive" and "illegal".

The Coalition's policy includes turning boats back to Indonesia, buying old boats from Indonesian fishermen and paying Indonesians to spy on people-smuggling operations.

Indonesian MP Tantowi Yahya told Lateline the commission has "major concerns" the policy will interfere with his country's sovereignty.

"It becomes our concern because, firstly, it might potentially jeopardise our already good relationships in the past," he said.

"And second, the policy which is going to be implemented by Mr Abbott clearly ... annoys our sovereignty as independent country."

The Government's border protection policy, dubbed Operation Sovereign Borders, officially began yesterday.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced on Tuesday that Major General Angus Campbell would head the operation.

It came a day after Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said the Coalition would ask for Indonesia's understanding, rather than its permission, as it tries to stop the flow of asylum seekers.

Indonesia 'will fully reject' turning boats around

But Mr Yahya says implementing the policy as it stands will damage relations between Australia and Indonesia.

He reiterated comments from foreign minister Marty Natalegawa that the Indonesian government is against the Coalition's plans to turn around asylum boats.

"I think the policy will be very offensive and we in the parliament fully support what was said by our foreign ministers - that we will fully reject the policy," he said.

"It will obviously damage our relationship."

Mr Yahya says the two countries need to work together or Australia risks damaging relations with Indonesia.

"We have to work together," he said. "The platform is cooperation.

"Indonesia accepts all possible solutions, all possible proposals from Australia. We are also concerned about it. We don't want it to happen in the future. This case should be settled in a very modest and a very peaceful way."

Mr Yahya says the plan to pay for information about people smugglers and to buy back boats had not been discussed with Indonesian officials as far as he was aware.

"It's very offensive," he said. "We just know everything from the newspaper."

Meanwhile, Australia's ambassador in Jakarta, Greg Moriarty, has been asked to return to Canberra to brief the National Security Committee of Cabinet on people smugglers.

Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, foreign-affairs, australia, indonesia

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