20 Kg Coins for Australia Collected by Indonesians in UK

Liputan6.com, Jakarta As a sign of disappointment towards the statement made by Tony Abbott regarding the apparently 'insincere' Australia gesture back in 2004 when it donated $1 billion as a form of humanitarian venture post-tsunami in Aceh, the Indonesian citizens in many places voluntarily collected coins in an attempt to sarcastically show Tony Abbott that the country will return the "favour". This action has been done in several places within the country such as Jakarta and Aceh. What is more astonishing, the Indonesian citizens in England also took time to spontaneously gathered as heavy as 20 kg worth of coins and it was delivered to the Australian High Commissioner London at the Australia House, Strand, London on Tuesday (03/03/2015). It was a pack full of pennies and 2 pounds inside one big luggage.

According to Caya Fairrie from Silkworms, the Indonesian citizen’s sarcastic response that is now prominently known as "Coins for Australia" has gained some extensive media coverage both at home and abroad. For Indonesia, Tony Abbott’s statement involves the undermining of the nation’s integrity and sovereignty.

"We are deeply moved by this story, and we want to expose the wrongness that comes out from the statement made by Tony Abbott when he links the donation that Australia gave in 2004 to the Indonesian justice system that he views as unfair as two of Australia's citizens are now on the death row for drugs-related case," Caya said, Wednesday (04/03/2015).

Abbott referred back to the donation made as he was trying to save the lives of two Australian men who are the ringleaders of Bali Nine group. His disapproved towards the decision of President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo was initially seen as acceptable. However, as soon as he made a statement that has no direct linkage to the situation and evidently underestimated the integrity of Indonesia, the Indonesian audience immediately sees the true nature of him and thus decided to return the apparently 'insincere' donation.

The Indonesian citizens have collected the coins since February 24 2015. The Indonesian citizens in The United Kingdom specifically in Hertford, Cambridge, Nottingham, York and Bedfordshire contributed to this action by collecting the 20 kg worth of coins and gave it to the Australia High Commission in London.

"We were very well welcomed by David Lawrence and Fred Lewis from the Australia High Commission," Caya said as she was the one presenting the luggae full of coins accompanied by her friends, Irma Lengkong Mikkonen and Dande Dibiarma Darmawan. 

According to Caya, the Australian High Commission exceptionally respects the peace action from 'Coins for Australia'. They will have a letter sent to the Australia High Commisioner, Alexander Downer and after that will be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office in Canberra. (Akp/Riz)