Terrorism threat lurks behind, Goh warns

The Jakarta Post/ Asia News Network (ANN) Singapore

Singapore and countries in the region remain vulnerable to attacks from international terrorist groups even if there has not been any evidence of an imminent threat, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong says.

The prime targets, if and when they launched their attacks, would likely be American interests in the region, Goh said during a meeting with executives of the Asia News Network on Tuesday.

"I don't think there is an imminent threat, but the danger lurks behind.

"We believe that there is a real alternative that things may go wrong somewhere, sometime in the region, in primarily in American interests, perhaps in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia."

Singapore government has made several arrests of people believed to be connected with the Al Qaeda group.

Fears that Al Qaeda may shift its activities to Southeast Asia after its base in Afghanistan was bombed by the United States has prompted countries in the region, including Singapore, to arrest people suspected to have links with the group.

Although there has been no single attack since the alarm was raised in September, Goh believes countries in the region should not let their guards down.

"(There has been) no evidence of any real immediate danger but we believe the danger is there," he said.

Singapore intelligence has monitored the activities of members of the Jemaah Islamiyah, a network of groups with aspirations to turn countries in the region into an Islamic states.

"They went to Thailand and then made their way to Indonesia. After that, we don't know where they are," he said.

Diplomatic row broke out between Indonesia and Singapore in February when Senior Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew said that terrorist leaders were roaming free in Indonesia.

The two countries have since patched up ties and struck an understanding to join forces in fighting terrorism.

Recognizing the challenges Indonesia faces in clamping down extremist groups operating in the country, Goh cautioned against alienating Muslims in the fight against terrorism.

"You must never alienate the majority of Muslims by creating the wrong impression that we are against Islam. If you do that, then the battle is lost.

"We've got to be very clear that this is not against Islam, not against Muslims, but we're targeting the extremists."

But he echoed U.S concerns that al Qaeda or other terrorist groups may take advantage of the situation in Indonesia.

"If that international network can have influence over the Indonesian network, Indonesia will become involved, then it will be used by outsiders against Indonesian interest or against regional interest for this international terrorist network objectives."

During the meeting with the Asia News Network -- which groups primarily English-language media in the region -- Goh talked at length about the development, or the lack thereof, within the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN).

Goh stressed the need for Asia to forge economic cooperation in view of the ongoing process of economic integrations in Europe and North America.

ASEAN must take the initiative lest it become marginalized, he said.

China, Japan and South Korea were quite content to let ASEAN lead as attested by these countries' offer to engage in free trade arrangements. India would also join in this process, he added.

Goh defended Singapore's decision to go it alone in engaging in free trade with the United States, stressing that it was acting in the interests of the region too.

"What we would like to see is ASEAN linking up with other regional blocs .. because we believe that is in the interest of Asean.

"If we do it alone, and then we show the way how it's done, then we encourage other countries to follow us ... And if we get an advantage in the short term, I hope others will be active. And then they say: How is that Singapore is getting all the advantage? And there are benefits; then they want to join you."

Goh proposed that ASEAN leaders meet more frequently and in a far less formal setting to exchange ideas and chart where the region's role in the world and where it is heading.

"We should all be sitting down together as to what are you doing to recover Singapore of recession and I'll tell you what I'm doing and you tell me what you are doing.

"Unfortunately, we are not at this stage where we can just sit down, without coat, without tie and just exchange views. If we can do that, ASEAN will be seen by people, and the leaders are themselves working closely together; they're not just leaders and good friends, they are facing common problems, they are sharing experiences."

Goh said the informal annual meeting of ASEAN leaders, had lately became "formal."

ASEAN had also lost its "natural leader" since Indonesia's strongman Soeharto stepped down from power in 1998. This, Goh says, was part of the problem facing the regional group.

In Soeharto's place, Goh proposed that four or five countries collectively give ASEAN the leadership it needed.

"I would think the four countries now which have less domestic priorities: Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand. Philippines is a possibility. Indonesia, of course, you got to be (in)."

On his own political future, amidst speculation that he would resign, Goh has this to say:

"I must give sufficient time to my successor to prepare himself for the next election (due in 2007). If I give him one year, I think it's insufficient time, it's not fair. So the minimum I want to give him is two years, which is 2005.

If I can give him more time, even better. And the best time to give is when the economy recovers, when it is strong; part of this recovery is going to be led by the potential or the next Prime Minister, then he rides on this, it consolidates his background, he fights the next election, the party wins, that is best.

"So early next year is too early."