#Sell Campaign Doesn\u2019t Reflect Strong Indonesia Ties, Singapore\nSays<\/p>\n
Singapore. The #SellSingapore and #SellIndonesia campaigns that\nrecently took social media by storm are not an accurate reflection of\nbilateral ties, according to a senior official from the city-state.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been seeing a sharp sell-off in its assets, following\nrecord-low rupiahs and tumbling stocks. Veteran investor George\nBoubouras even coined the term, which was further amplified by\nSingaporean media coverage. In a show of nationalism, some Indonesian\nsocial media users retaliated by trending the #SellSingapore hashtag,\nclaiming that the island nation had benefited from Jakarta\u2019s economic\nfailures.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Indonesian journalists, Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim,\nSingapore\u2019s minister of state for foreign affairs, denied that the\nonline sentiments had soured the mood bilaterally.<\/p>\n
\u201cActions speak louder than words. Both Singapore and Indonesian\nleaders have always shown through their actions that we continue to be\nvery strategic and close partners,\u201d Zhulkarnain recently told a press\nbriefing in his office.<\/p>\n
He raised the possibility of \u201cbots\u201d being culpable for the online\nhate, while doubting that whatever is going online reflects the \u201ctrue\nsentiments\u201d of the people.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t forsake a friend just because somebody says something to\nyou about that friend. We don\u2019t react by virtue of sentiments. We react,\nor act actually, on strategic long-term solutions,\u201d Zhulkarnain\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The politician pointed out Singapore\u2019s uncontested lead in the\nrankings for Indonesia\u2019s foreign direct investment sources. Latest\ngovernment data showed that Singapore also stayed in first place,\nputting around $8.8 billion in the first half of 2026. The neighbors\nalso prefer to talk problems that may arise \u201copenly\u201d.<\/p>\n
President Prabowo Subianto, too, had made a similar comment, saying\nthat Jakarta and Singapore would \u201cresolve any misunderstandings and\nmisperceptions as friends\u201d.<\/p>\n
#SellSingapore and One-Gate Export<\/p>\n
The #SellSingapore trend flared up after a clip of its deputy prime\nminister Gan Kim Yong commenting on Indonesia\u2019s single-gate export\npolicy went viral last month.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is now centralizing all exports of palm oil, coal, and\nferroalloys under state control to prevent illicit trade practices that\nhave cost Jakarta $908 billion over the past three decades.<\/p>\n
Asked by the Jakarta Globe on how the country views the export\nshake-up, Gan, who was visiting last month, replied that his government\nwould consult with Indonesia to ensure uninterrupted flows of goods.<\/p>\n
It was also not long after Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa\nrevealed that the under-invoicing and transfer pricing practices in the\npalm oil trade allegedly involved shipments routed through Singaporean\ntrading firms.<\/p>\n
Gan Siow Huang, Singapore\u2019s minister of state for trade, told a\nseparate briefing that her government would keep an eye on Jakarta\u2019s new\ntrade regime.<\/p>\n
\u201cSingapore continues to have confidence in the Indonesian market and\neconomy in the long term,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last 12 months to 24 months, the rupiah depreciation and some\nof the investors\u2019 comments may not have been very helpful, but the\nSingapore government continues to be very positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
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