Singapore hopes for strong Indonesian government
Singapore hopes for strong Indonesian government
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Singapore's next prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, spoke on a
wide range of bilateral issues during his 45-minute talk with his
host President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday as part of his
three-day introductory visit to Indonesia.
The current deputy prime minister described his visit as an
opportunity to meet with various Indonesian leaders, and to
update himself on how things are going with various issues in
Indonesia.
"Indonesia is very important to us," said Lee, in his first
visit to Indonesia after Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong last year
publicly announced Lee would be his successor.
Meanwhile, in a clear demonstration of confidence in the son
of Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, the President raised
several urgent issues with him, including the issue of boundary
problems between the two countries. Indonesia has complained that
Singapore's large reclamation projects have cut into Indonesia's
sovereign territory.
Lee said there were some "gray areas" between the two
countries, that have not been fully demarcated.
"I said that's in progress and the meeting between our
officials will happen in a few months," he said.
Lee is touring several countries in the region on this trip.
Goh has frequently visited Jakarta and Megawati is a regular
visitor to Singapore, even when she was still vice president in
1999 and 2000.
Five days before his arrival in Jakarta, Singapore
surprisingly fulfilled Indonesia's demand for the publication of
the two countries' bilateral trade data. According to the data,
total trade value between the two countries last year was worth
S$26.2 billion (approximately Rp 131 trillion), where Indonesia's
exports to the island city state were worth S$14.5 billion.
Lee told The Jakarta Post in 1998, that his country had not
publicly published the data since 1974 because of requests from
Indonesia.
"If we both publish figures there will be differences and
there will be misunderstandings," Lee noted at that time.
On Monday the deputy prime minister said, "We released them
for the first time and we are in the process of reviewing our
methodology to make it consistent with World Trade Organization
standards."
"Last year, Singapore became the fifth-biggest investor in
Indonesia," said Lee, who is expected to replace Goh in 2005.
The President also briefed him about this year' general
elections. "We wish Indonesia well, and hope the election goes
well, and new strong government emerges that will lead Indonesia
forward peacefully and prosperously," Lee said.
The retired brigadier general will return to Singapore on
Wednesday.