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Habibie may call off trip to Malays



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Habibie may call off trip to Malaysia
JAKARTA -- Indonesia President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie is likely to call
off his trip to Kuala Lumpur to attend the sixth Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation conference in November if ''the situation there remains
unchanged'', according to an informed source. 
The source, who asked not to be identified, said that close aides to
Habibie had already advised him to postpone the summit meeting with
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad scheduled prior to the Apec
meeting in early November. 
The Indonesian president may want to seek approval from parliament on
whether he should go ahead with the plan to attend the Apec meeting,
according to the source. 
The Apec meeting became a point of contention for international leaders
after Philippine President Joseph Estrada threatened to boycott the
meeting. He later retracted his threat. 
On Saturday Habibie joined several world leaders in expressing concern over
the fate of ousted prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. It is widely known in
Indonesia that Anwar has very good relations with Habibie, who has spoken
highly of his Malaysian friend. 
Most of the Muslim intellectuals here also know Anwar personally. In the
past few years links between young Indonesian and Malaysian Muslims have
been strengthened through Anwar's friendship with the Indonesian leaders. 
Other leaders from Apec countries are still undecided. Washington has also
expressed concern over the treatment of Anwar. 
The Nation