Bullying tactics with Singapore 'will hurt Jakarta's image'

The Straits Times, March 1, 2007


INDONESIA'S 'bullyboy' approach towards Singapore over negotiations on an extradition treaty does it 'incalculable harm', according to a Jakarta Post reader.

In a letter published on Tuesday, Mr William Sullivan from Jakarta reacted to an article last week which quoted an MP as saying that Indonesia, as a 'big country', did not have to be 'afraid' of taking action against Singapore, including breaking diplomatic ties.

Indonesia recently banned land sand exports to Singapore, saying it needed to protect its maritime boundaries as well as to preserve the country's environment. But some Indonesian officials later said the move was taken to pressure Singapore into concluding the extradition treaty and resolving border issues.

Mr Sullivan criticised this approach, saying: 'This sort of 'bullyboy' approach, which Indonesia has tried to use in the past with other neighbouring countries including Australia, does incalculable harm... and creates a very unfavourable impression of Indonesia overseas.'

He added that perhaps MP Permadi had 'temporarily forgotten' the amount of aid that Singapore had provided to Indonesia over the years, as well as the fact that the Republic is 'one of the most important sources of much-needed foreign investment for Indonesia'.

He asked: 'Can it perhaps be that Singapore is concerned anyone extradited from Singapore to Indonesia faces the daunting and most uncertain prospect of standing trial in an Indonesian court?

'Given the track record of the Indonesian courts in dispensing 'justice', Indonesia may find itself in some difficulty trying to provide Singapore with any credible assurances on this issue.'

Other Indonesian media also carried letters and editorials on the subject.

One letter-writer, Mr Syamsudin of Tanjung Pinang in Riau, wrote to the Sinar Harapan evening daily saying he supported the ban on sand exports and urged his countrymen to do the same, adding that it was to protect the country's territorial waters and islands from 'further environmental damage'.

Media Indonesia noted in a recent editorial that the ban had strained bilateral ties while praising Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda for clarifying that the move was not linked to the talks on the extradition treaty and border agreement.

'It's important that Indonesia handles the matter judiciously... so there would not be misunderstanding,' the daily said.

Suara Pembaruan, an evening daily, said in an editorial that many Indonesians were 'concerned' that maritime borders were affected by Singapore's reclamation works.

It did not seem to take into account Indonesian armed forces chief Marshal Djoko Suyanto's remarks last week that Singapore's reclamation project would not affect Indonesia's territory.