Article: S'pore-Indonesia extradition, defence talks to be elevated to ministerial level
Date: 6/3/2007
Source: ChannelNewsAsia.com

Basically what the article is about is that talks between Singapore and Indonesia about issues such as extradition are progressing well and Singapore and Indonesia are really good friends despite certain open acts of rivalry.

Just last month, Indonesia imposed a ban of all sand exports to Singapore, citing environmental issues as the reason. The result is a near crisis in the construction industry in Singapore as contractors struggled to find replacements to continue the production of concrete, highlighting again the vulnerability of Singapore to foreign events. The environmental issues were questioned by environmentallists and politicians and it soon became clear that there was no issue at all.

The motives of Indonesia could not be any clearer: to force the island-state to agree to their demands while forcing Singapore to beg Indonesia and push Singapore into something of a mini-crisis. And this, I feel, is absolutely childish and unacceptable.

Singapore's policy of diplomacy to everyone and offering help to those who need it has often made themselves a victim of their own goodness. Time and time again, Indonesia has led themselves into crisis after crisis and Singapore had always been there to offer a helping hand. The Indonesians take this for granted, forgot about the help rendered to them and start making decisions to force Singapore's hands, a la Malaysia. Apparently both countries do not understand the term reciprocation.

Indonesia's actions has shown itself to be a vicious dog who bites the hand that helps it. I do not why they still persist in this form of high tension politics, for it has the exact opposite result of what they intended. The more they force, the more we would not budge. And that really makes their actions stupid.

During regional talks the leaders of ASEAN always talk about how they should help each other and progress as a region, modelled closely after the EU. But with small and stupid actions like these, how could regional progress be achieved? The rivalry would persist and should the childish behavior continue, Singapore would only be shooting itself in the foot by repeatedly extending the olive branch. Singapore already has enough trouble with Thailand and Malaysia. It does not need another big baby in Indonesia to add to it.

This opinion is a little biased because I am Singaporean and being the patriotic citizen that I am, I could be a little harsh on other countries.