RI says rift with Singapore due to differing perceptions

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian officials welcomed Singapore's offer to provide evidence about terrorism in Indonesia on Saturday, but added that the underlying causes in their ongoing disagreement were thediffering perceptions between a democratic state and an authoritarian one.

Singapore offered Indonesia assistance and access on Saturday, via its security agencies, to detained members of a militant group -- its proof that international terrorist cells were active in Indonesia.

Singaporean officials, however, said that they were stunned by the negative response from the Indonesian government, and expressed annoyance over Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew's controversial statement on the terrorism activities in Indonesia.

Singapore said its security officials were ready to "facilitate direct investigations to confirm links between the Jamaah Islamiah (JI) network in Singapore and key Indonesians like Abubakar Ba'asyir and Hambali," the Singapore foreign ministry spokesman said as quoted by Agence France Presse.

"This can include access to detained members of the JI network in Singapore," he added.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, fresh from a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart S. Jayakumar on Thursday, suggested that, while the two countries shared a common goal in fighting terrorism, their approach differed.

The approach, according to Hassan, is rooted in each respective state's system -- one based in democratic pluralism, the other, in authoritarianism.

Hassan told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that, from Singapore's "authoritarian" viewpoint, mere "suspicion" of illegal activity constitutes grounds for harsh action.

"That's why it's hard for them to understand our position," he added. Indonesia abandoned its authoritarian system after the downfall of former president Soeharto in 1998.

Senior Minister Lee made said Singapore remained prone to terrorist action, as the leaders of the extremist group were still at large in Indonesia.

Indonesian officials have repeatedly contended that they have summoned Abubakar Ba'asyir, who was identified by the Singapore as the leader of the JI extremist group, although Jakarta said there is no solid proof of the allegations.

Indonesia also asserted that the country currently did not apply any draconian law of antisubversion that allowed the government to arrest people without reason.

Hassan said that, even during his meeting with the Singaporean minister, Jayakumar continued to express that his government did not understand why Indonesia was angry because of the statement, which actually had been reported by the media earlier.

"Our point of view is that, in a democracy, everything should be done through clear legal process," Hassan said.

"Authoritarianism is something that's already behind us -- as our stance is clear in eliminating any subversive elements in the country."

However, Hassan reiterated that he welcomed the recent statement from the Singaporean foreign ministry so Indonesian officials could follow up on the evidence.

"The burden of proof is on them -- please give it to us, and we will cooperate," he said.