Coins collected for Australia in #CoinsForAustralia. Photo: Twitter
Remember #CoinsForAustralia, in which Indonesians sarcastically collected small change to repay Australia’s tsunami aid for Indonesia? Looks like Australia might actually need that money to help repay its debt to the Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov DKI).
Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama said the Australian Embassy owes Pemprov DKI the handsome sum of Rp 30 billion (~AU$ 3 million)
“I can demand [that they pay]. We will demand,” Ahok said at City Hall today, as quoted by Vivanews.
The head of Jakarta’s Finance and Asset Management Agency, Heru Budihartono, said Pemprov DKI hit the Australian Embassy with the heavy fine after the embassy expanded their territory without the governor’s permission two years ago.
We hope this financial dispute won’t further damage the already sour relations between Indonesia and Australia. We’re all mates, after all.
