Goh 'relieved' at calm transition of power
Goh 'relieved' at calm transition of power
JAKARTA (JP): Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong told
President B.J. Habibie that he was relieved political succession
in Indonesia had proceeded peacefully and that he was looking
forward to working with the new President.
"I have followed developments in Indonesia with close concern.
I watched the transfer of the presidency... your inaugural
address to the nation as President, and the announcement of your
Reform and Development Cabinet live on TV," Goh said in a letter
to Habibie, a copy of which was received by The Jakarta Post
yesterday.
"I am greatly relieved that the political transition in
Indonesia has been peaceful and constitutional," the Singapore
prime minister said.
Singapore, one of Indonesia's closest neighbors and fellow
founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
has been the destination for many of the people who fled the
country during recent unrest.
Goh pointed out in his letter that Habibie had entered office
during a time of great difficulty and faced formidable
challenges.
He said that relations between Singapore and Indonesia had
grown significantly over the years, and that he looked "forward
to working with you to build on what our two countries have
achieved together."
Singapore's senior minister, Lee Kuan Yew, publicly criticized
Habibie's nomination as a vice-presidential candidate in the run-
up to the general session of the People's Consultative Assembly
in March.
In a Feb. 8 speech broadcast on state television he said
markets had been disturbed by the criteria which allowed Habibie
to be named vice-president.
Habibie supporters later lodged a protest with the Singaporean
Embassy here over Lee's comments, calling them interference in
Indonesia's internal affairs.
From Tokyo it was reported that Japanese Prime Minister
Ryutaro Hashimoto welcomed Indonesia's plan to hold a general
election before 2003 and said that Japan would closely monitor
developments in Indonesia, especially the economic and political
reforms introduced by President Habibie. (mds)