Singapore, RI torn between love and hatred

Singapore, RI torn between love and hatred

Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta,
korpur@yahoo.com

How does one deal with a giant but poor neighbor who continues
to whine about your arrogance and carelessness and that you have
become rich from their sweat? Do you just let them express
frustration, or do you try to learn some of the possible truths
behind their claim and improve your attitude?

The first day of a three-day seminar on Indonesia and
Singapore relations last Friday, organized by the Centre for
International and Strategic Studies (CSIS), initially looked like
a routine warm exchange between friends.

CSIS executive director Hadi Soesastro moderated the first
session. CSIS's Board of Trustees member Jusuf Wanandi, and
Tempo's weekly magazine chief editor Bambang Harymurti addressed
the forum from the Indonesian side. Bambang mentioned Singapore's
fear as a small country surrounded by the "Taliban".

Singapore was represented by legislative member Irene Ng, who,
among others, raised the issue of terrorism, and Singapore
Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) chairman Simon Tay.
Their presentations echoed Singapore's sweet memory of former
president Soeharto, particularly his key role in providing
security and political stability in the region. With Indonesia's
leadership, Singapore and the region rapidly grew during the era.

The session quickly came alive during the question and answer
forum, in which Indonesians included Lt. Gen. (ret.) Hasnan
Habib, former minister of foreign affairs Ali Alatas, professor
of international maritime law Hasyim Djalal and international
affairs observer Abdillah Toha.

Their litany of complaints included the behavior of sharp-
tongued Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's poor
understanding of Islam, and its reluctance to sign an extradition
treaty with Indonesia because Singapore "greatly benefits" from
hiding problematic Indonesian conglomerates, such as Syamsul
Nursalim, in the city state.

People may forget that a number of these problematic
conglomerates who once moved to Singapore had then returned to
Indonesia, like Prajogo Pangestu and Syamsul, but they remain
untouched by Indonesian law enforcers.

There was also a demand for Singapore's side to prove its
allegations over Muslim terrorist links in Indonesia.

Singapore has also been accused of hiding statistics of
trading activities between the two countries. Other grievances
include Singapore's involvement in sand mining in Riau, and its
sea reclamation. The country was blamed for its ignorance over
the maritime boundary problem with Indonesia in its reclamation
projects.

Singapore's side realized that they were facing a resentful
giant neighbor who had little chance of exposing the faults of
its small, but much more prosperous friends.

Singapore's participants, including former ambassador to
Indonesia Barry Desker, tried to calmly reduce the tension and
assure them of the country's sincere stance toward Indonesia,
including the issue of extradition and statistics. A young lawyer
from Singapore failed to get attention with his remark about poor
law enforcement here.

Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong indicated to The Jakarta
Post in 1998 that his government's decision against publishing
Singapore's statistics on bilateral trade with the sprawling
country was more because of Indonesia's own request. He did not
explain any further. Traditionally, Singapore is a major source
of import smuggling to Indonesia, which allegedly involves many
parties in Indonesia, from greedy traders to the military.

Singapore is an easy target to be scolded and scapegoated by
Indonesia. But Indonesia cannot impose its will because business-
oriented Singapore has its own national interests, which might be
perceived as going against Indonesia's national concerns. We are
facing a sovereign country. How would mutual interests be
achieved without sacrificing our national agendas?

With a population of only four million, the 683-square
kilometer city state is exactly like a red dot, in the words of
former president B.J. Habibie, compared to Indonesia. However,
while incomparable in size, it is also incomparable in terms of
prosperity.

Asiaweek's December 2000 edition mentioned that Singapore's
per capita gross national product (GNP) was US$22,710 compared to
Indonesia's $617. Singapore's foreign exchange reserves reached
$78.1 billion, while Indonesia was only $28.3 billion.

Singapore, whose population is mostly Chinese, is surrounded
by two predominantly Muslim countries, Malaysia and Indonesia.
But the major issue is more the gap in prosperity and colonial
inheritances rather than religion.

Singapore is the most wealthy among the 10 members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It has also
showed impatience over the slow implementation of the ASEAN Free
Trade Area by moving ahead with its Free Trade Agreements with
the U.S. and Japan and other industrialized countries. This has
also irritated its nearby friends.

All Indonesian presidents, with the exception of President
Megawati Soekarnoputri, have had problems with Singapore. When
the financial crisis hit the region in 1997, Indonesian leaders
pointed their fingers to money speculators in Singapore whom they
believed were the source of the rupiah's fall.

They also lambasted Singapore for its objection to disburse
its $10 billion loan pledge to Indonesia. Singapore's argument
that it should be responsible to use public money went unheard.

But how should Singapore react? It cannot just turn a deaf ear
while showing off its wealth. It often fails to show that it
really has a heart and not just brains. Their leaders are
expected to be wiser and prove that they are also friends even in
difficult times.