|
Indonesia’s Pride Taken To Task By Tiny Singapore
by Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA (IslamOnline) - Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid sharply criticized the tiny nation of Singapore at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Singapore last weekend.
In remarks following the end of the ASEAN summit, Wahid accused Singapore of trying to go its own way and only thinking of profit. He also threatened to cooperate with Malaysia to cut off the city-state's water supply.
The mounting tiff may indicate a split in the once solid ASEAN movement, creating more waves on the economic front.
In Jakarta, Wahid’s attack on the tiny city-state has been well received by the public, but has been met with consternation and bafflement in the House of Representatives (DPR), saying the body would question the president concerning the matter.
Wahid seems ready to confront both the DPR and legislators on the issue, showing that he is the man running the country, and may squarely ignore their calls, IslamOnline was told.
In Singapore, local press has given the affair different weight. Even though none criticized Wahid for his unexpected statement, some showed concern that this might eventually tarnish an otherwise good relationship.
Prime Minister Goh Cok Tong of Singapore eventually responded to Wahid’s statement, while Lee Kuan Yew, the influential Chief Minister of Singapore, has so far remained silent on the issue.
In a mild and dull statement, Goh said on Tuesday that “no member made any proposal ... to admit new members” during the summit. Although Wahid mentioned the idea, “he did not put it up as a proposal.” Goh was talking about the proposal by Wahid to admit both Papua New Guinea and East Timor into the ASEAN movement.
Observers in Kuala Lumpur expressed the opinion that the ASEAN movement is probably facing one of its most serious crises. Member states in ASEAN are bound not to interfere in other member countries internal matters.
They are also not supposed to be overtly critical in their analysis and approach to other member countries. The ASEAN movement is basically a Singapore that gets it way most times.
Wahid was angered by Yew’s refusal of his proposal to have Papua New Guinea and East Timor admitted in ASEAN. He said when Lee Kuan Yew says no, then that’s it. He also said other member nations tend to follow what Lee Kuan Yew decides.
In 1997, Singapore pressed for the entry of the military junta led Myanmar (formerly Burma) into ASEAN. It was supported by Malaysia, while Thailand furiously opposed.
The western world warned the ASEAN nations not to allow Myanmar into the movement, saying that human rights abuses were important and that the regime was accused of serious crimes.
Myanmar was eventually admitted with Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei becoming its major business partners. Shortly after Myanmar’s inclusion came the chaotic financial and currency crises that destroyed years of economic stability and growth in the region.
The crisis barely scratched Singapore whose currency remained strong despite a downward slope.
While the Singapore press has seen a shift in Indonesia’s foreign policy with Wahid’s statement, it has probably missed the point Wahid made over the “profit minded” Singapore.
It has also brushed aside the potential military crisis that Wahid’s statement might incur in case Indonesia was to show its might in the region.
Indonesia believes that it is capable of dominating the region with its 210 million people and strong army. According to Wahid’s critics, he is a warmonger who could easily trigger a military crisis in the region.
“Wahid is in serious trouble at home. He needs a cue, a rallying issue to attempt to bring the Indonesians massively behind his government. His criticism of Singapore is well received in the general public. He made a point there.” Ahmad Damha of Stopinjustice told IslamOnline.
Damha believes that Wahid will be ready to make use of the military, even though he does not control the army effectively. “A country which is divided, cash starved and having a government which is growingly ineffective might resort to all the options available to create a sense of nationalistic patriotism.”
Indonesia is facing serious economic problems surmounted by secessionist drives in Aceh and Irian Jaya with other provinces, like Riau Islands, claiming full autonomy. The Indonesian nation is also facing threats of probes into its alleged human rights abuses in East Timor, Aceh, Irian Jaya and other areas of Indonesia.
It is also weakened by almost daily communal riots in the Malukus, another black area that Wahid’s government seems impossible to control.
The Malukus, with the flaring situation in Ambon where Christians and Muslims are at arms, indicates that Wahid has little control over rogue army elements and has no army control when it comes to Islamic Jihad groups.
If he wants to make use of the army to show that Indonesia is a powerful nation to be respected and listened to in the ASEAN, then he has to reign in the Army chiefs to his own favors. Something that is impossible altogether in the short run, IslamOnline was told by an observer in Jakarta.
“Wahid also attacked Singapore, a wealthy island state, on the economic issue. His mention of Singapore’s pursuing foreign policies only for profit is not a only a comment out of the blue,” Damha told IslamOnline.
He said Wahid clearly stated in between the lines that the Singaporean government is a rich nation, growing richer while other nations in the ASEAN forum grow poorer.
“Clearly Wahid meant that the ASEAN forum is no more a united one where member nations are looking for their own profits.
“Indonesia in turmoil expects more from the regional countries, member of the ASEAN, to assist financially. Since this is slow to come due to the seemingly insurmountable crises at home, Indonesia is a danger spot for safe investment,” the observer told IslamOnline.
Indonesia raised the issue of Rattan products, of which Singapore has 140 patents, while his country, a producer of rattans, has none. “Let me highlight another ploy by Singapore. Singapore has international patents to 140 different types of rattan. How can they? Does Singapore plant rattan? No. They get it from Indonesia,” Wahid said.
“We are the biggest producer of rattan in the world. So, we should break the patent rule. I don't care. If they want to pick a fight, let's fight. We have been manipulated...”
"Before, only [Malaysian] Prime Minister Mahathir [Mohamad] was brave enough to confront Singapore, but now ... Mahathir has a new friend," said Abdurrahman who had asked the Malaysian leader, over breakfast during the ASEAN meeting, why Malaysia did not control water supply to Singapore.
He said if Indonesia and Malaysia withheld water supply, Singapore "will have no water to drink." Riau Islands, a province of Indonesia, recently signed a billion dollar deal for water supply to Singapore for the next 20 years.
Singapore has had serious water deal problems with Malaysia since 1998. Malaysia has threatened not to renew the deal prompting the island nation to strategize with Indonesian suppliers while improving its own desalinization, or water treatment, industry.
Further developments on the issue will be closely watched by fund managers and stock brokers in the region. It is highly probable that Indonesia will get the assistance it is seeking from the ASEAN, with Singapore paying more attention to its immediate needs.
“Wahid’s criticism of Singapore’s preference for China as an investment heaven, and its non-mention of Indonesia in international forums as a partner in business and progress, could bring the rich nation to look towards Jakarta.” Damha said.
Alwi Shihab, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, though downplaying the attack by Wahid on Singapore, gave an insight of the Indonesian expectations from the island nation.
He said that the Indonesian nation looked to Singapore as a friendly nation that should be more concrete in its assistance. “We should not just listen to what Lee Kuan Yew said about possible investment in Indonesia only in two years time. This disturbs Indonesia pride.”
|
