Singapore's Testy Relations
With Its Neighbours
With Its Neighbours
Singapore’s testy relations with its neighbours has been brought to the fore yet again with new charges by its law makers who try to give the impression that the island republic is being victimised. Such stance has always been the ploy of the republic whenever it faces problems with its closest neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia and for over a year now also with its former close buddy Thailand.
Such unneighbourly relations are again the subject of discussions in its parliament earlier this week with charges that its neighbours are envious of its success. They never seem to want to own up to the fact that they could be in the wrong and that they are insensitive to others. Why should the neighbours be envious of its progress? But what can you expect from a kiasu state?
The latest in the series of spats it seems to be having with its neighbours is over the sale of sand from Indonesia. Earlier this week the Indonesian authorities decided to ban the sale of land sand – needed by the construction sector as cement mix for the construction industry. The ban will definitely affect the construction sector in the republic as it now needs to source its requirement from other more distant countries. And as is always the case it tries to play down the effect saying that at most it would add a mere one or two percent in construction cost. But at the same time Indonesia is harshly criticised for the decision.
Indonesia has in 2003 already banned the sale of its marine sand needed by the republic for its huge land reclamation project. This follows a similar ban by Malaysia earlier. This had to some extent affected its very ambitious project to increase its original land mass from 581.5 sq km, to some 820 sq km by 2020. By 1990 it had already expanded to 633 sq km.
What happened in this sand saga again showed how insensitive it can be to its neighbours. Nothing seems to matter to them so long as they benefited. Sand as a commodity has been reported to support a US$200 million a year business, allegedly protected by the Indonesian navy and police and customs, the Riau regional administration, and top figures from the Jakarta elite from the time of President Suharto.
Sand
At one time the Indonesians involved in this received only S$1.53 per cu meters paid by international sand brokers who then sold the sand to Singapore construction companies at S$15 per cu meters. HDB then sold the reclaimed land at market rates in excess of S$850 per square meter.
It has also been reported that some 54 dredgers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia and South Korea out of a total of 70 such vessels worldwide were operating in the Riau waters during the height of the ‘sand mining’ saga.
There were also questions of how much sand has been taken, leading to suspicions that some sand smuggling has taken place. For example in 2001 Indonesian official data showed it exported less than 75 million cubic meters, while Singapore's import data records 300 million cubic meters. At that time Singapore in fact reported that they had by then imported 1.8 billion cubic meters, while Indonesian figures showed exports of only 167 million cubic meters.
But the upshot to all this is that the marine ecosystems and habitats in the affected islands in Riau province have been damaged irreparably from the uncontrolled sand extraction. It has also led to the disappearance of a number of small islets in the province. In fact Nipah Island, one of 83 border islands serving as points of reference for Indonesia's sea borders, is at the center of Singapore's current dispute with Jakarta. Nipah lies dead in front of the main reclamation work and is now almost submerged.
It has been pointed out that if the island sinks completely the international boundary between Indonesia and Singapore will be compromised - to Singapore's advantage. The Convention on the Law of the Sea states that marine territory is measured based on the coastal base line. Jakarta is concerned that in the future, some Riau land could thus be claimed as Singapore's on the basis that if Singapore gets wider, its territorial line will also get wider.
Marine
The Institute of Indonesian Forestry Studies, an organisation based in Riau province, is planning to charge Singapore with destroying the marine environment and mangrove forests as well as causing the disappearance of an island in Karimun subdistrict. The Institute's director, Andreas Herykahurifan, was quoted as saying the Riau administration must also bear responsibility because it had issued licences to sand-dredging companies. Since sand dredging started in 1979, coral reefs have been destroyed and fishing has suffered.
But Singapore’s Minister of National Development Mah Bow Tan told Parliament earlier this week that the claims were not justified, and that the price of the exports was supposed to factor in environmental degradation. "Based on what we know, the Indonesian sand suppliers who are licensed by the Indonesian government are obliged to plow some of their proceeds into environmental reconstruction, and that is built into the price of the sand," he said. But he was silent on the amount Indonesia actually received against what Singapore pays.
Its Foreign Minister George Yeo just dismissed Indonesia's contention that the ban was to protect the sprawling archipelago's national borders. "It is not possible for Indonesia's export of land sand to affect its maritime boundaries," said Yeo in the same Parliament session.
But quite apart from the belated realisation of the negative effect of the sand dredging on the eco-system, the ban was in fact Indonesia’s retaliation to the republic’s belligerence in agreeing to Indonesia’s request for an extradition treaty between them. Indonesia had been wanting for such a treaty for a long time viewing it as vital in its efforts to curb corruption.
Notorious
Singapore is notorious for being a sanctuary for Indonesian white collar criminals and other fugitives using the republic’s financial houses to park and/or launder their ill-gotten gains. Singapore just closed one eye to all these shenanigans so long as it stands to benefits. Most of these elements are Chinese but also include some politicians.
Last year during the visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Singapore finally agreed to negotiate for the treaty. But the process has been ridiculously drawn out. At least six rounds of talks have been held. Indonesia is angry and feels that Singapore is purposely putting up unreasonable hurdles.
But why should Singapore be slow? Probably because it is a haven for Indonesian crooks on the run, and they bring their money with them. Billions of dollars in corruptly obtained funds have flowed into Singapore's property market and its banks. Thus it is to Singapore’s advantage not to have such a treaty and so the laboriously slow progress in having one.
The sand saga had at one time also involved the sale of Malaysian sand until it was banned when the government suddenly realised that the reclamation works on Tuas, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Serangoon dan Punggol and others was affecting usage of the port of Tanjung Pelepas and Pasir Gudang. Malaysia felt that the reclamation work could obstruct ships headed for the US$1 billion state-of-the-art Tanjung Pelepas port, just half an hour's sailing time from Singapore Port.
Malaysia in fact felt that the project was designed to obstruct shipping and sabotage the progress of the port, being promoted to rival Singapore's. Singapore is also peeved that a number of major shipping lines had made Tanjung Pelepas their port of call bypassing Singapore. So is it any wonder that Singapore had nonchalantly ignored our concerns?
Reclaimation
Malaysia has lately also realised that the reclamation works had not only narrowed the sea lane for vessels coming into the two ports but made it shallower. The sea will also be made shallower thus making it extremely difficult for ships to come into the two ports. Even if they can, they will have to first go into Singapore waters. This was felt to be part of Singapore's ploy to get ships to go to its ports instead of Malaysian ports. Malaysia feels that recent decision by several large shipping companies to go to Malaysian ports instead of Singapore's was what prompted Singapore to carry out the reclamation work.
More recently the Menteri Besar of Johore, Datuk Seri Abdul Ghani Othman, questioned whether the reclamation especially at Pulau Tekong had not contributed to the massive flooding in Kota Tinggi. Ghani said the floods were due to the narrowing of the Johor River mouth caused by reclamation on Singapore's Tekong island located opposite the waterway. He said the river burst its banks after excess rain water could not flow out to the sea fast enough.
It would be difficult to determine if this reclamation project is indeed the cause of the river not being able to discharge the flood waters as quickly as before unless we have evidence to show that the river’s mean velocity has indeed been reduced by the project.
It is basic science that if something is obstructing the flow of water, the flow will be affected but the actual quantum should be based on proper measurements studies on the change in the characteristics of the river. Malaysia w3ill not be able to stick to its contention if the water flow average velocity is not monitored or the rate of silting along the river course and mouth as well as changes in the tides are not measured.
A team from Utusan Malaysia who took a boat ride to check on the reclamation there and ascertain if it could have caused the bad flooding found the reclamation had resulted in Pulau Tekong coming too close to Malaysia, said. The team found Singapore had reclaimed land far into the sea towards Malaysia and the waters on the Singapore side have become so narrow that it could not be used even by small boats. The reclamation had also made the Johor River and the Straits of Johor shallower and this had affected the water flow.
Water
This problem between Malaysia and Singapore is quite apart from all the other outstanding issues now held in abeyance. These include the sale of water, CPF contributions, the KTM land in the republic and over flying rights by SAF fighter/interceptors.
The problem with the island republic is that it is a small island state (described by former Indonesian President B.J. Habibie as a mere dot on the map). But it tries to compensate its size by flexing its muscles with the sheer size of its fire power built up over the years at an annual cost in excess of S$5 billion a year. It spends about ¼ of its annual operating budget to defense.
The tiff with Thailand began in Jan last year when the Singapore government’s octopus like Temasek Holdings bought a major shareholding in the Thaksin Sinawarta’s telecoms giant Shin Corporation when he was the Prime Minister. Various groups in Thailand charged that there were improprieties in the transactions resulting in widespread opposition to the sale. It made Thaksin the target of accusations that he was selling an asset of national and strategic importance to a foreign entity, and hence selling out his nation.
The sale caused great controversy in Thailand with accusations of conflicts of interest by Thaksin. To compound matters the transaction was exempt from capital gains tax following an amendment to the Thai laws over foreign investments in the telecoms sector only three days prior to the sale.
Quite apart from this the Thais were also peeved over the fact that such a strategic industry is now in the hands of a foreign government’s entity. A subsidiary of Shin Corp, Shin Satellite operates four satellites owned by the Thai government. The current Thai government is determined to get the satellites back. Its army commander and strongman, Sothi Boonyaratkalin was quoted as saying: “Singapore is a small country that lacks any farming area, but they are rich capitalists and brokers who can buy our assets. I am concerned about our national assets that were bought. I want my assets back especially the satellites.”
Recourses
The republic is without much resources and yet due to the determination, resourcefulness and craftiness that at times borders on being stealthy it has managed to develop itself into a well oiled services centre – finance, shipping and air services hub, import export, IT and even the biggest oil refining centre for the region thereby pushing itself into the league of being a developed nation.
But apart from the lack of resources it also lacks humility mainly because it equates such a trait to being submissive. So in its relations with neighbours this is the attitude it always adopts by not willing to give and take. The republic likened such a stance to being weak and will then be at the mercy of the neighbours.
So it will stick to the rules with no room for discretion or in an agreement it will stick to every word of the agreement never giving way to other’s interpretation to the extent of even discarding the spirit of that agreement.
They could not care less about sensitivities of neighbours. What is of concern is the republic’s own wellbeing without so much as a care for the sensitivities of the neighbours.
Thus it took in Israeli advisors for defence and security. So the island has now become a big fortress. Now and then it reminds its citizens how vulnerable it is to pressures by its neighbours as if it is ripe for the picking for invasion.
Defence
It deluded itself as if Malaysia wants to overrun it and bring it back under Malaysia’s tutelage. This delusion is being fostered to justify its huge defence and secutiry spending.
With the help of Israeli advisers – drawing parallel to Israel surrounded by Arab states just as it being surrounded by Malay states of Indonesia and Malaysia - it has gone on a spending spree to turn the island into a fortress with emphasis on its Air Force. With what it terms as its 3G air force equipped with the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, the Falcon F16D fighters as well as Apache helicopter gunships and AWACS, the objective is to detger any untoward adventure towards it. Because of its lack of space most of its fighter squadrons are based in the US, Australia, Taiwan and even France.
To justify such huge spending on machines of war its leaderships has gone on record to paint a picture of how vulnerable it is to attacks and thus need to have the fire power to deter anyone from undertaking such an adventure.
It gives the impression that Malaysia is one potential aggressor simply ignoring the fact that it was not wanted by Malaysia in the first place when the Tunku decided to kick it out of the fledging Malaysia in 1965.
With the collaboration of US and Australia with whom it maintain very strong relationship and cooperation – I remember once coming back from LA sitting beside a Malaysian navy rear admiral who mentioned about the highly secret naval facility in Monterrey near San Fransisco which no Malaysian naval officer been allowed to even be near but the US easily accommodated Singapore naval officers for training there.
http://www.beritakmu.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5751
Such unneighbourly relations are again the subject of discussions in its parliament earlier this week with charges that its neighbours are envious of its success. They never seem to want to own up to the fact that they could be in the wrong and that they are insensitive to others. Why should the neighbours be envious of its progress? But what can you expect from a kiasu state?
The latest in the series of spats it seems to be having with its neighbours is over the sale of sand from Indonesia. Earlier this week the Indonesian authorities decided to ban the sale of land sand – needed by the construction sector as cement mix for the construction industry. The ban will definitely affect the construction sector in the republic as it now needs to source its requirement from other more distant countries. And as is always the case it tries to play down the effect saying that at most it would add a mere one or two percent in construction cost. But at the same time Indonesia is harshly criticised for the decision.
Indonesia has in 2003 already banned the sale of its marine sand needed by the republic for its huge land reclamation project. This follows a similar ban by Malaysia earlier. This had to some extent affected its very ambitious project to increase its original land mass from 581.5 sq km, to some 820 sq km by 2020. By 1990 it had already expanded to 633 sq km.
What happened in this sand saga again showed how insensitive it can be to its neighbours. Nothing seems to matter to them so long as they benefited. Sand as a commodity has been reported to support a US$200 million a year business, allegedly protected by the Indonesian navy and police and customs, the Riau regional administration, and top figures from the Jakarta elite from the time of President Suharto.
Sand
At one time the Indonesians involved in this received only S$1.53 per cu meters paid by international sand brokers who then sold the sand to Singapore construction companies at S$15 per cu meters. HDB then sold the reclaimed land at market rates in excess of S$850 per square meter.
It has also been reported that some 54 dredgers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia and South Korea out of a total of 70 such vessels worldwide were operating in the Riau waters during the height of the ‘sand mining’ saga.
There were also questions of how much sand has been taken, leading to suspicions that some sand smuggling has taken place. For example in 2001 Indonesian official data showed it exported less than 75 million cubic meters, while Singapore's import data records 300 million cubic meters. At that time Singapore in fact reported that they had by then imported 1.8 billion cubic meters, while Indonesian figures showed exports of only 167 million cubic meters.
But the upshot to all this is that the marine ecosystems and habitats in the affected islands in Riau province have been damaged irreparably from the uncontrolled sand extraction. It has also led to the disappearance of a number of small islets in the province. In fact Nipah Island, one of 83 border islands serving as points of reference for Indonesia's sea borders, is at the center of Singapore's current dispute with Jakarta. Nipah lies dead in front of the main reclamation work and is now almost submerged.
It has been pointed out that if the island sinks completely the international boundary between Indonesia and Singapore will be compromised - to Singapore's advantage. The Convention on the Law of the Sea states that marine territory is measured based on the coastal base line. Jakarta is concerned that in the future, some Riau land could thus be claimed as Singapore's on the basis that if Singapore gets wider, its territorial line will also get wider.
Marine
The Institute of Indonesian Forestry Studies, an organisation based in Riau province, is planning to charge Singapore with destroying the marine environment and mangrove forests as well as causing the disappearance of an island in Karimun subdistrict. The Institute's director, Andreas Herykahurifan, was quoted as saying the Riau administration must also bear responsibility because it had issued licences to sand-dredging companies. Since sand dredging started in 1979, coral reefs have been destroyed and fishing has suffered.
But Singapore’s Minister of National Development Mah Bow Tan told Parliament earlier this week that the claims were not justified, and that the price of the exports was supposed to factor in environmental degradation. "Based on what we know, the Indonesian sand suppliers who are licensed by the Indonesian government are obliged to plow some of their proceeds into environmental reconstruction, and that is built into the price of the sand," he said. But he was silent on the amount Indonesia actually received against what Singapore pays.
Its Foreign Minister George Yeo just dismissed Indonesia's contention that the ban was to protect the sprawling archipelago's national borders. "It is not possible for Indonesia's export of land sand to affect its maritime boundaries," said Yeo in the same Parliament session.
But quite apart from the belated realisation of the negative effect of the sand dredging on the eco-system, the ban was in fact Indonesia’s retaliation to the republic’s belligerence in agreeing to Indonesia’s request for an extradition treaty between them. Indonesia had been wanting for such a treaty for a long time viewing it as vital in its efforts to curb corruption.
Notorious
Singapore is notorious for being a sanctuary for Indonesian white collar criminals and other fugitives using the republic’s financial houses to park and/or launder their ill-gotten gains. Singapore just closed one eye to all these shenanigans so long as it stands to benefits. Most of these elements are Chinese but also include some politicians.
Last year during the visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Singapore finally agreed to negotiate for the treaty. But the process has been ridiculously drawn out. At least six rounds of talks have been held. Indonesia is angry and feels that Singapore is purposely putting up unreasonable hurdles.
But why should Singapore be slow? Probably because it is a haven for Indonesian crooks on the run, and they bring their money with them. Billions of dollars in corruptly obtained funds have flowed into Singapore's property market and its banks. Thus it is to Singapore’s advantage not to have such a treaty and so the laboriously slow progress in having one.
The sand saga had at one time also involved the sale of Malaysian sand until it was banned when the government suddenly realised that the reclamation works on Tuas, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Serangoon dan Punggol and others was affecting usage of the port of Tanjung Pelepas and Pasir Gudang. Malaysia felt that the reclamation work could obstruct ships headed for the US$1 billion state-of-the-art Tanjung Pelepas port, just half an hour's sailing time from Singapore Port.
Malaysia in fact felt that the project was designed to obstruct shipping and sabotage the progress of the port, being promoted to rival Singapore's. Singapore is also peeved that a number of major shipping lines had made Tanjung Pelepas their port of call bypassing Singapore. So is it any wonder that Singapore had nonchalantly ignored our concerns?
Reclaimation
Malaysia has lately also realised that the reclamation works had not only narrowed the sea lane for vessels coming into the two ports but made it shallower. The sea will also be made shallower thus making it extremely difficult for ships to come into the two ports. Even if they can, they will have to first go into Singapore waters. This was felt to be part of Singapore's ploy to get ships to go to its ports instead of Malaysian ports. Malaysia feels that recent decision by several large shipping companies to go to Malaysian ports instead of Singapore's was what prompted Singapore to carry out the reclamation work.
More recently the Menteri Besar of Johore, Datuk Seri Abdul Ghani Othman, questioned whether the reclamation especially at Pulau Tekong had not contributed to the massive flooding in Kota Tinggi. Ghani said the floods were due to the narrowing of the Johor River mouth caused by reclamation on Singapore's Tekong island located opposite the waterway. He said the river burst its banks after excess rain water could not flow out to the sea fast enough.
It would be difficult to determine if this reclamation project is indeed the cause of the river not being able to discharge the flood waters as quickly as before unless we have evidence to show that the river’s mean velocity has indeed been reduced by the project.
It is basic science that if something is obstructing the flow of water, the flow will be affected but the actual quantum should be based on proper measurements studies on the change in the characteristics of the river. Malaysia w3ill not be able to stick to its contention if the water flow average velocity is not monitored or the rate of silting along the river course and mouth as well as changes in the tides are not measured.
A team from Utusan Malaysia who took a boat ride to check on the reclamation there and ascertain if it could have caused the bad flooding found the reclamation had resulted in Pulau Tekong coming too close to Malaysia, said. The team found Singapore had reclaimed land far into the sea towards Malaysia and the waters on the Singapore side have become so narrow that it could not be used even by small boats. The reclamation had also made the Johor River and the Straits of Johor shallower and this had affected the water flow.
Water
This problem between Malaysia and Singapore is quite apart from all the other outstanding issues now held in abeyance. These include the sale of water, CPF contributions, the KTM land in the republic and over flying rights by SAF fighter/interceptors.
The problem with the island republic is that it is a small island state (described by former Indonesian President B.J. Habibie as a mere dot on the map). But it tries to compensate its size by flexing its muscles with the sheer size of its fire power built up over the years at an annual cost in excess of S$5 billion a year. It spends about ¼ of its annual operating budget to defense.
The tiff with Thailand began in Jan last year when the Singapore government’s octopus like Temasek Holdings bought a major shareholding in the Thaksin Sinawarta’s telecoms giant Shin Corporation when he was the Prime Minister. Various groups in Thailand charged that there were improprieties in the transactions resulting in widespread opposition to the sale. It made Thaksin the target of accusations that he was selling an asset of national and strategic importance to a foreign entity, and hence selling out his nation.
The sale caused great controversy in Thailand with accusations of conflicts of interest by Thaksin. To compound matters the transaction was exempt from capital gains tax following an amendment to the Thai laws over foreign investments in the telecoms sector only three days prior to the sale.
Quite apart from this the Thais were also peeved over the fact that such a strategic industry is now in the hands of a foreign government’s entity. A subsidiary of Shin Corp, Shin Satellite operates four satellites owned by the Thai government. The current Thai government is determined to get the satellites back. Its army commander and strongman, Sothi Boonyaratkalin was quoted as saying: “Singapore is a small country that lacks any farming area, but they are rich capitalists and brokers who can buy our assets. I am concerned about our national assets that were bought. I want my assets back especially the satellites.”
Recourses
The republic is without much resources and yet due to the determination, resourcefulness and craftiness that at times borders on being stealthy it has managed to develop itself into a well oiled services centre – finance, shipping and air services hub, import export, IT and even the biggest oil refining centre for the region thereby pushing itself into the league of being a developed nation.
But apart from the lack of resources it also lacks humility mainly because it equates such a trait to being submissive. So in its relations with neighbours this is the attitude it always adopts by not willing to give and take. The republic likened such a stance to being weak and will then be at the mercy of the neighbours.
So it will stick to the rules with no room for discretion or in an agreement it will stick to every word of the agreement never giving way to other’s interpretation to the extent of even discarding the spirit of that agreement.
They could not care less about sensitivities of neighbours. What is of concern is the republic’s own wellbeing without so much as a care for the sensitivities of the neighbours.
Thus it took in Israeli advisors for defence and security. So the island has now become a big fortress. Now and then it reminds its citizens how vulnerable it is to pressures by its neighbours as if it is ripe for the picking for invasion.
Defence
It deluded itself as if Malaysia wants to overrun it and bring it back under Malaysia’s tutelage. This delusion is being fostered to justify its huge defence and secutiry spending.
With the help of Israeli advisers – drawing parallel to Israel surrounded by Arab states just as it being surrounded by Malay states of Indonesia and Malaysia - it has gone on a spending spree to turn the island into a fortress with emphasis on its Air Force. With what it terms as its 3G air force equipped with the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, the Falcon F16D fighters as well as Apache helicopter gunships and AWACS, the objective is to detger any untoward adventure towards it. Because of its lack of space most of its fighter squadrons are based in the US, Australia, Taiwan and even France.
To justify such huge spending on machines of war its leaderships has gone on record to paint a picture of how vulnerable it is to attacks and thus need to have the fire power to deter anyone from undertaking such an adventure.
It gives the impression that Malaysia is one potential aggressor simply ignoring the fact that it was not wanted by Malaysia in the first place when the Tunku decided to kick it out of the fledging Malaysia in 1965.
With the collaboration of US and Australia with whom it maintain very strong relationship and cooperation – I remember once coming back from LA sitting beside a Malaysian navy rear admiral who mentioned about the highly secret naval facility in Monterrey near San Fransisco which no Malaysian naval officer been allowed to even be near but the US easily accommodated Singapore naval officers for training there.
http://www.beritakmu.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5751
1 comment:
Singapore: small kacang.
Israel: small chicken
EU: Big bully
USA: Give onto Caesar what is Caesar's....a serving of tutti frutti, dude. That means you, singapura. But where is the kangaroo state?(he is down there doing his job, the sucker!)
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