Singapore unaffected by submarine issue<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (JP): Singapore is unconcerned about President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid's caution to the Indonesian Navy over a recent
\npurchase by Singapore of new submarines.<\/p>\n
"Most Singaporeans are not even aware of the purchase," Freddy
\nTan, managing director of Magazines Incorporated PTE Ltd., a
\nSingapore-based publishing company with branches in Australia,
\nHong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, said over the
\nweekend.<\/p>\n
"We Singaporeans do not really concern ourselves with such
\nmatters. The only thing that really matters to us is that we have
\njobs and food and clothes," he said in explain of little media
\nattention to President Abdurrahman's statement.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman last Wednesday cautioned the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI), the Navy in particular, to be more alert following the
\nrecent purchase of two submarines by Singapore and its plan to
\nadd another six to eight submarines to its fleet.<\/p>\n
The President's warning came a day before the armed forces of
\nSingapore, Malaysia, Britain, Australia and New Zealand were
\nscheduled to hold a joint air and naval exercise last Friday.<\/p>\n
"To all parties responsible in the field of defense and
\nsecurity, they should seriously monitor this matter," said
\nAbdurrahman.<\/p>\n
Tan said Abdurrahman's statement had not affected Singapore's
\nincreasing confidence in Indonesia's business climate.<\/p>\n
Heng Chiang Gnee, deputy president of SembCorp Marine Limited,
\nanother Singaporean company, shared Tan's view.<\/p>\n
"The (submarine) issue received little attention from the
\nmedia here and Singapore businessmen are not at all affected,"
\nsaid Heng, whose company owns and runs a shipyard in Tanjung
\nBalai, Karimun Island, Riau.<\/p>\n
Both Tan and Heng said there was growing confidence in
\nIndonesia and the submarine issue had not dampened Singaporean
\nbusinesspeople's intention to resume business in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Luhut B.
\nPanjaitan said both Indonesia and Singapore had agreed to put the
\nissue behind them and avoid a polemic on the matter.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S. met with Singapore's
\ndeputy defense ministry officials in Singapore. No statement was
\nissued regarding the new submarines and both agreed not to allow
\nthe issue to affect relations between the two countries. (lem)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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