Additional articles on foreign relations

Some other articles on the importance of foreign relations

Today Online
26 Jan 07
Singapore deserves far better treatment from Thailand and Indonesia

1. Letter from Errol Goodenough

I REFER to your report, "Indonesia acts, S'pore regrets" (Jan 25).

Singapore appears to have bent backwards at all levels in reaching out to help our southern neighbour. We have come to their aid in good times and bad, not in the hope of securing favours but often out of genuine concern.

The Indonesian Government's recent policy of refusing to sell sand to Singapore comes so soon after the Singapore Government has publicly said that it would help champion the development of Riau industry. Singapore's commitment to Batam, Bintan and Karimun has been evident for decades and preceded the bickering on the sale of sand.

Somehow Indonesia's policies, coupled with its tardy response on the haze issue, seem to flesh out the saying that "no good deed ever goes unpunished". Far better we build upon our relations with our neighbour to the north, as bilateral relations in this instance now appear to be more comfortable than in the past.

2. Letter from Lim Boon Hee

IF SINGAPORE'S economy booms, Asean also benefits. However of late, this win-win attitude appears to have taken a backseat within Asean.

Indonesia has unilaterally cut off supply of sand to Singapore knowing full well that the construction of our integrated resorts and condominiums will require sand. I wonder if it has anything to do with the haze for which Singapore sought help from the United Nations. Indonesia felt humiliated by it.

Earlier, Malaysia too had banned sand exports to Singapore, worried that Singapore's land area will increase through more sea reclamation.
Meanwhile, the Thai head of Council for National Security (CNS) has made surprising statements on Temasek's stake in the former Thaksin-family-controlled Shin Corp. Without any proof, we have been accused of spying through Advanced Info Service, the mobile phone company owned by Shin Corp.

Although the Thai PM has agreed not to mix politics with business in economic dealings, the rejections of iTV's five proposals and insistence on the 100 billion baht ($4.5 billion) fine is evidence of a tit-for-tat response to Thaksin's antics in Singapore.

Indonesian unions are also targeting the "so-called" business tactics of telcos in which Temasek have stakes in.

Singapore will increasingly come under siege from testy neighbours and suspicions about the motives of the Government's investments through Temasek. There are looming dark clouds around us and we have to stand firm.