Indonesian government must prove itself to Investors
Indonesian government must prove itself to Investors
SINGAPORE (AP): Protests in Indonesia show President Abdurrahman Wahid cannot yet guarantee a stable environment for investors, Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew said late Thursday.
Villagers on Indonesia's Bintan island held fierce protests last month near resorts and an industrial park in which Singapore has large investments.
The unrest was "a pointed message to Singaporeans and other investors that the Indonesian president and his government cannot deliver on their promise to provide security and stability without first settling with the political opposition and local interest groups," Lee said.
Lee noted that the Bintan protests had broken out just days after Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong visited Indonesia to promote investment there.
Lee's comments, made during a Chinese New Year dinner speech, were broadcast on the Television Corporation of Singapore's evening news report.
Last month, Bintan villagers wielding spears and machetes demanded more pay for land they sold to Indonesia's Salim Group in 1991. Singapore's government-linked SembCorp Industries Ltd. jointly developed the land with Indonesian partners, erecting posh resorts and an industrial complex.
The protesters claimed the Indonesian army and police had forced them to accept the deal and give up their land at prices far below market rates.
Hundreds of villagers stormed a power plant and blocked the road to the resorts on the island, which lies about 40 kilometers south of Singapore.
In late January, Indonesian troops moved in to disperse protesters. Dozens were arrested and 13 were injured, according to reports.
For months, several parts of Indonesia have been torn apart by separatist fighting and violence between religious and ethnic groups, and tensions remain high throughout the vast archipelago.
Lee was Singapore's prime minister from 1959 until 1990, when he stepped down to accept the title of Senior Minister. He still has considerable influence in the country, and his opinions on Asian affairs are widely sought by world leaders.