The summit of Mega and Goh
Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, korpur@yahoo.com
When Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong meets with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Monday, he just might say to the Muslim President, "Selamat Idul Fitri" (Happy Idul Fitri). And, according to the tradition of people seeking forgiveness from one another during Idul Fitri, the President will reply, "Mohon maaf lahir dan batin" (Please forgive me for any wrongdoings in thought and in deed).
As a good hostess (Megawati has been praised by many people as being much warmer than her three predecessors in receiving people during the Idul Fitri open house), she will, of course, not only offer ketupat (steam rice cakes) and opor ayam (chicken rice) to her guest.
She has already shown the Prime Minister the greatest act of kindness she can, by prompting her government to act on Singapore's long-standing complaint that Indonesia is not doing enough to combat the terror threat in the country. The Indonesian government has shown concrete progress in cracking down on terrorists, including acknowledging that Jamaah Islamiyah very likely exists here, as insisted on by neighboring countries.
And it won't be mere lip service if the Prime Minister praises the President for the signing of last week's peace accord with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). We hope his encouragement will make Megawati more willing to be more open and receptive to the demands and desires of the Acehnese when she visits the province on Tuesday.
May the spirit of the Idul Fitri celebration, including the willingness to forgive each other, inspire Goh and Megawati to open a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries.
However, unlike the tradition of ordinary people, who instantly forgive each other without any explanations offered or received, the two leaders are expected to do more.
For the betterment of relations between the giant Indonesia and Singapore, one of the most prosperous countries in the world, Goh and Megawati need to hash out all the hard feelings that have built up between the countries. They need to discuss their problems and their expectations.
The two should set aside the past, while still remembering their past mistakes so they do not repeat them in the future. To open a new chapter in the relationship between the two leaders and their countries, they need to have a heart-to-heart discussion.
That is why the Prime Minister's two-day visit has been arranged as a working tour, in order to avoid rigid protocols. This, hopefully, will enable the two leaders to talk straight rather than glossing over matters with the usual diplomatic talk.
From the Indonesian side there is a long litany of complaints, from global issues to the behavior of its rich neighbor who seems indifferent to the suffering of the poor just at its doorstep.
The new U.S. policy requiring all exports to the superpower to be checked in advance at preapproved ports, including the port in Singapore, is also annoying. It is believed here that Indonesian exports to U.S. must first be sent to Singapore, which would mean more costs. It is also feared that the signing of a Free Trade Agreement by Singapore and the U.S. will damage Indonesian exports, because it will be cheaper for the U.S. to buy Indonesian products from Singaporean exporters.
It may also be necessary to convey a message to the sharp- tongued Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew to refrain from insulting other countries.
And how about Singapore's grievances with Indonesia? The Prime Minister may find it difficult to repeat his long-standing complaints, which are also the sentiments of numerous other countries: poor law enforcement, rampant corruption, bad security, poor governance, an increase in the threat from Islamic extremists, etc. It is all repetition, and Megawati has heard much worse from other foreign leaders. But all the same, Goh continuously has to remind Megawati of these problems.
Just a reminder: Indonesians usually also expect a nice oleh-oleh (gift) from visiting guests. What kind of gift can we expect from the visiting Prime Minister? Of course he is not expected to bring with him new loans, or new advice on how to revive Indonesia's economy.
The two countries need each other. As neighbors, they cannot be separated.
After all, Singaporeans should have no doubt about Indonesia's love and affection for their tiny but prosperous neighbor. Megawati regularly has medical check-ups at Mt. Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, even before she became President. She loves to go shopping in Singapore, and uses every opportunity to make a brief stopover on the island when returning from an overseas trip.
Many Indonesians feel that the Prime Minister doesn't quite like their country as much as Megawati likes his. No doubt Goh admires the people and respects their political choice. But maybe he just doesn't have an emotional attachment to Indonesia.
Singaporeans are often portrayed as rational and business- oriented, lacking in heart and sympathy for their less well-off friends. Surely, that can't be the whole truth. How do real Singaporeans feel about Indonesia?
"There is a strong affection for Indonesia, but only when we have a mistress in Batam," a Singaporean friend once joked.
Let's hope the feelings run deeper than that.