REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,  JAKARTA -- The House of Representatives' Commission I Vice Chairman Agus Gumiwang has condemned the United States and Australia for allegedly tapping the Indonesian government and Indonesian politicians.

"If the reports of tapping activities are confirmed, we strongly condemn the United States and Australia. The Indonesia-US and Indonesia-Australia bilateral relationships should be based on many aspects, including mutual trust," said Gumiwang here on Friday.

According to Gumiwang, the Indonesian government should also strongly condemn these tapping activities, which prove that the United States and Australia are not true friends of Indonesia.

"Their interest in Indonesia is not greater than our interest in them," he noted.

However, Gumiwang added, Indonesia must prioritize good ethics in handling this situation with regard to maintaining its bilateral relationship with other countries.

The alleged tapping activities conducted by the United States and Australia were revealed in a report by the Sydney Morning Herald published on Oct. 31, 2013, based on allegations made by former NSA employee Edward Snowden, who said the two countries possessed tapping facilities at their embassy in Jakarta and in other cities throughout the ASEAN region, such as in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Yangon.

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