Lee concludes Indonesian trip<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong held talks with Vice
\nPresident Jusuf Kalla, House of Representatives Speaker Agung
\nLaksono and People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nur
\nWahid on Tuesday, the last day of his visit aimed at
\nstrengthening bilateral ties.<\/p>\n
Kalla told the press after his meeting with the prime minister
\nthat Lee had expressed a desire to build sound relations with
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We were discussing ways on how to improve our economic ties
\nand I asked Singapore to boost investment in Indonesia,\" Kalla
\nsaid<\/p>\n
\"The prime minister fully understands that there are a lot of
\nthings that our government has to do, especially in the political
\nand legal fields, to attract investors,\" the Vice President said.<\/p>\n
Lee arrived here on Monday for a two-day visit and held talks
\nwith President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono immediately. During the
\nmeeting, the two heads of government agreed to tackle bilateral
\nissues rationally and to avoid \"megaphone\" diplomacy.<\/p>\n
An extradition treaty and illegal sand imports are just two of
\nbilateral issues that the two countries need to resolve.<\/p>\n
Singapore has so far allegedly refused to include economic
\ncrimes in the draft of an extradition treaty between the two
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has also accused Singapore of buying sand illegally
\nmined and exported by Indonesian businessmen for reclamation
\nprojects, which affects the demarcation of the seas between the
\ntwo countries.<\/p>\n
Both leaders also assigned their economics ministers to
\nexplore the potential of further cooperation between the two
\ncountries, and will ask for reports after three months.<\/p>\n
During a meeting with House Speaker Agung Laksono, Lee
\ncongratulated Indonesia on its successful elections in 2004.<\/p>\n
\"Lee congratulated the nation on its new president and new
\nleaders of the legislative bodies. He showed an interest in
\nlearning about Indonesia's political system,\" Agung announced
\nafter meeting the prime minister on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia earned international praise for its successful
\nelections -- the legislative elections in April 2004, the first
\nround of the direct presidential election on July 5 and the
\nsecond round on Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
The elections, which were widely monitored by foreign and
\nlocal independent observers, proceeded peacefully and without
\nmajor disturbances.<\/p>\n
Agung said that Lee also expressed a desire to maintaining
\nrelations between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Hidayat said he had urged Lee to help Indonesia
\neradicate corruption in the country, which has been blamed for
\npushing the country's economy to near bankruptcy.<\/p>\n
The Berlin-based Transparency International has consistently
\nplaced Indonesia among the world's most corrupt countries in the
\nworld in the past few years. President Susilo, who took his oath
\nof office on Oct. 20, made corruption eradication a top priority
\nof his first 100 days in power.<\/p>\n
Hidayat said Singapore could help eradicate rampant corruption
\nhere by signing an extradition treaty with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Several suspected corrupters and other white-collar criminals
\nhave escaped trial by fleeing to Singapore.<\/p>\n
Lee left Indonesia for Thailand on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lee-concludes-indonesian-trip-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }