http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/jakarta-confused-by-status-of-prime-ministers-first-bloke-insiders-say/story-fn59niix-1226018012487
Jakarta confused by status of Prime Minister's first bloke, insiders say Mark Dodd From: The Australian March 09, 2011 12:00AM JULIA Gillard's unmarried status presented a diplomatic difficulty ahead of her first visit to Indonesia last November, insiders said yesterday. The Australian understands Indonesian officials delayed issuing a visa to Ms Gillard's partner, Tim Mathieson, because they were uncertain about his status during the Prime Minister's visit to Jakarta. Nifty diplomatic footwork was needed to assuage concerns about Ms Gillard's long-term partner, insiders familiar with the trip have claimed. According to a senior Australian diplomat who asked not to be named, the visa delays were compounded by uncertainty over hosting protocols for Mr Mathieson during the official tour. "They were told that the Malaysians had given him a visa, and after that the situation got resolved," the diplomat said. Flying directly from Malaysia, Ms Gillard made her first official visit to Indonesia on November 1-2 at the invitation of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Indonesia, like Malaysia, is a staunchly Muslim country with very orthodox and conservative attitudes when it involves the status of unmarried couples, even when one is a senior foreign dignitary. This helped explain Indonesian reluctance to provide Mr Mathieson with a visa and a separate tour schedule, said Raiham Ismail, a Malaysian doctoral student at the Australian National University. "In Malaysia, not being married can be a sensitive issue," Ms Ismail said. "Of course there are many couples who are not married but officially the government would not want to be seen to be supporting such behaviour." Such attitudes were even more prevalent in neighbouring Indonesia, she said. Veteran Indonesia watcher John McBeth, a correspondent for the Straits Times, confirmed Indonesian officials were initially befuddled over protocol arrangements for Mr Mathieson. "It all came down -- from what I understand -- to 'What the hell do we do with this guy?'," Mr McBeth said from Jakarta. "When the wife of a visiting dignitary comes, the first lady usually takes over her schedule and they go round to look at orphanages or something similar, but with your first bloke, or whatever you call him, there was quite a bit of confusion at the palace about what to do." Comment was sought from Ms Gillard's office. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
