Singapore unaffected by submarine issue

SINGAPORE (JP): Singapore is unconcerned about President Abdurrahman Wahid's caution to the Indonesian Navy over a recent purchase by Singapore of new submarines.

"Most Singaporeans are not even aware of the purchase," Freddy Tan, managing director of Magazines Incorporated PTE Ltd., a Singapore-based publishing company with branches in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, said over the weekend.

"We Singaporeans do not really concern ourselves with such matters. The only thing that really matters to us is that we have jobs and food and clothes," he said in explain of little media attention to President Abdurrahman's statement.

Abdurrahman last Wednesday cautioned the Indonesian Military (TNI), the Navy in particular, to be more alert following the recent purchase of two submarines by Singapore and its plan to add another six to eight submarines to its fleet.

The President's warning came a day before the armed forces of Singapore, Malaysia, Britain, Australia and New Zealand were scheduled to hold a joint air and naval exercise last Friday.

"To all parties responsible in the field of defense and security, they should seriously monitor this matter," said Abdurrahman.

Tan said Abdurrahman's statement had not affected Singapore's increasing confidence in Indonesia's business climate.

Heng Chiang Gnee, deputy president of SembCorp Marine Limited, another Singaporean company, shared Tan's view.

"The (submarine) issue received little attention from the media here and Singapore businessmen are not at all affected," said Heng, whose company owns and runs a shipyard in Tanjung Balai, Karimun Island, Riau.

Both Tan and Heng said there was growing confidence in Indonesia and the submarine issue had not dampened Singaporean businesspeople's intention to resume business in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Luhut B. Panjaitan said both Indonesia and Singapore had agreed to put the issue behind them and avoid a polemic on the matter.

On Saturday, TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S. met with Singapore's deputy defense ministry officials in Singapore. No statement was issued regarding the new submarines and both agreed not to allow the issue to affect relations between the two countries. (lem)