Singapore and Indonesian corrupters<\/p>\n
The Singapore Embassy's letter to The Jakarta Post on March 6
\nreminds us that an open debate about Singaporean exploitation of
\nIndonesian assets is long overdue.<\/p>\n
In the decades that followed the embarrassing excesses of
\nSukarno's policy of Konfrontasi (confrontation) in the early-mid
\n1960s, Indonesia's diplomats have taken care to treat it's near
\nneighbors with utmost civility. Some may say too much.<\/p>\n
But for too long, our civility has not been reciprocated. In
\nthis new era of reform, it is time to bring a long list of
\noutstanding bilateral issues into the public spotlight.<\/p>\n
The debate on the extradition of Indonesian corrupters, which
\nhas been ongoing for over three decades, is just one of many
\nSingaporean actions to have inflicted losses on Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Singapore's arguments that they cannot easily apprehend known
\nIndonesian corrupters is specious. When Singapore wants to arrest
\nsomebody, even without showing evidence or laying charges, they
\ncan and do. Singapore's Changi jail has a special section where
\nknown foreign drug dealers are detained indefinitely. When it
\nsuits Singapore's purpose to detain somebody, they do so. Former
\npremier Lee Kuan Yew said just the other day that Indonesia
\nshould implement a Singapore style ISA law.<\/p>\n
When it comes to the rampant smuggling of refined oil
\nproducts, logs, tin and sand into Singapore, the small republic
\nlikes to innocently say things like \"Singapore does not condone
\nsmuggling of any kind\". This is a half truth. Indeed when it
\ncomes to things that Singapore does not want, such as tobacco
\nproducts, drugs or illegal labor, Singapore polices its borders
\nzealously and effectively.<\/p>\n
But when it suits Singapore's interests, smuggling of
\nIndonesian products is not only allowed but indeed encouraged.
\nTens of billions of tons of sand is just one example. Singapore
\nin fact provides smugglers of products from Indonesia with
\nspecial \"barter ports\" where they don't even need proper ship
\ndocumentation to bring ashore their illicit tin, fish and logs.<\/p>\n
On the ship's return journey, Singapore exports its unwanted
\nwaste: old cars, clothes, tree branches, furniture -- and even
\nmud.<\/p>\n
When the Singapore Embassy makes statements like: \"... the
\nimport of sea sand was undertaken by commercial contractors, not
\nthe Singapore government\", the argument is only half true, as it
\nwas ultimately Singapore government policies, contracts and money
\nthat caused the trade to occur. Singapore must therefore share
\nresponsibility for the harm caused by this illegal business.<\/p>\n
KARI SAUKKONEN
\nBusiness and current
\naffairs observer
\nSemarang<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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