The Dispute of Ambalat in the Perspective of Indonesian Foreign Policy in the Post-new Order Era

This article analyzes the Ambalat territorial dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia, viewing from the perspective of Indonesian foreign policy in the Post-New Order era. The writer argues that Ambalat is a typical case in which Indonesian foreign policy had been widely influenced by public pressures which force government to take a firm stance against Malaysia. The practices of democratic system, including free media, have become an important factor behind such firm stance, along withthe growing nationalism amongst public in the Post-New Order Indonesia. However, in relations with the willingness to maintain a regional influence in ASEAN, the government actually does not really intent to involve in an open war