Singapore wants good ties with Malaysia, Indonesia: Jayakumar

Singapore wants good ties with Malaysia, Indonesia: Jayakumar

Reuters, Singapore

Singapore wants to maintain good ties with Malaysia and Indonesia despite recent diplomatic hiccups, and will encourage the United States to stay in the region, Foreign Affairs Minister S. Jayakumar said on Sunday.

"Singapore's future is inextricably tied to Southeast Asia. Managing bilateral relations with our neighbors, especially Malaysia and Indonesia, will remain a top priority," Jayakumar said in a statement.

Relations between Singapore and neighbor Malaysia have been prickly, with disputes ranging from land reclamation in recent weeks, to water supplies and transport ties.

Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew provoked criticism from several Indonesian leaders and prompted angry protests outside Singapore's embassy in Jakarta last month after he said terrorists remained free in the sprawling archipelago.

"Occasional hiccups in our relations with our neighbors are inevitable. But we will continue to take a broad and long term perspective of these relations, and not be side-tracked by differences over individual issues," Jayakumar said.

"We want stable and mutually-beneficial relations," said the statement, released as an addendum to the president's speech at the opening of a new session of parliament on Monday.

Singapore and Malaysia, two of the more stable nations in volatile Southeast Asia, have arrested dozens of suspected militants in a crackdown following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

Jayakumar said the city state, which is a regional logistics base for the U.S. navy, will continue to play its part in international anti-terror efforts. Global efforts against terrorism have propelled the major powers to emphasize common interests and have stabilized the United States-China-Japan triangular relationship crucial to Southeast Asia, Jayakumar said.

But China's growth presented uncertainties for the region.

"China's growth will change the balance of influence and power in the region. Its integration into the international system will require adjustments and accommodation," Jayakumar said. "We will continue to engage the United States to ensure that it stays in the region."

Singapore will also consolidate cross-regional links, its ties with Europe, and remains firmly committed to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations which "must reinvent itself to keep pace with global changes", Jayakumar said.