Singapore and its neighbours

Editorial, The Straits Times, March 7, 2007


A COMPANY of Swiss soldiers went astray during a military exercise last week and found themselves more than 2km inside neighbouring Liechtenstein. They turned back when they realised their mistake - and that was the end of the story. There were no thundering protests from Liechtenstein, no prolonged quarrel.

Now imagine if a similar incident had occurred in this part of the world. What if a military unit of South-east Asia's Switzerland, Singapore, had innocently strayed into a neighbouring country during an exercise? None of Singapore's neighbours would have responded as Liechtenstein did - or France or Germany or Italy might have - with a shrug and a smile.

Unlike Western Europe, Asean is not a homogenous, upper middle-class neighbourhood. There are wide disparities in wealth among its members. Culture and history divide them. One, Singapore, is among the vanguard of globalisation; another, Malaysia, is on the cusp of joining the great race; others, like Thailand, are still struggling to put their houses in order. Influence and size, economic strength and natural wealth, reality and desire, achievement and pride do not coincide in South-east Asia.

At bottom, that is the reason why Singapore-Indonesia relations have hit a rough patch of late. Jakarta seems to think Singapore should give in to its demands because it is the largest country in the block and Singapore is the smallest.

Officially, it says its decision to ban sand exports to Singapore was taken for environmental reasons. But unofficially (and loudly), a number of high-ranking Indonesian officials have linked the ban to other issues - borders, an extradition treaty, a defence pact.

Cry uncle, they seem to demand; admit this hurts you, say sorry - and then, perhaps, we will be nice to you. But since Singapore has not cried uncle over sand, they become furious, and they harass tugboats flying the Singapore flag and carrying granite from Indonesia to Singapore. What next?

Indonesian politicians have to decide for themselves when they want to call a halt to the 'wild and strange' statements, as Foreign Minister George Yeo put it, that they have been issuing.

As for Singapore, it will continue to do what it has always done when its larger neighbours try to 'pressure' it and demand it 'give in': It will stand its ground, as Mr Yeo assured Parliament it will, while working with Indonesia on matters of common interest on the basis of mutual respect and a 'balance of benefits'.

The Singapore Government has the full support of Singaporeans, including this newspaper, in this simple and calm determination.