06-22-2007, 11:37 AM
I have some issue with the arguments in the article that Acharya posted. The author tries to see the developments in Indonesia in isolation, which I think is incorrect. Indonesia had strong cultural link with India till colonial rule broke that. In my opinion, Indonesia adopted the cultural trend that was happening in India. When they became muslim, India was under Islamic rule. That may be the reason why Islamic conquest of Malaysia and Indonesia were not violent.
What we need to do is to re-establish the lost cultural links with Indonesia and Malaysia.
What we need to do is to re-establish the lost cultural links with Indonesia and Malaysia.