On Tuesday (27 Oct), Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan paid a working visit to Jakarta, Indonesia. He called on Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Dr Balakrishnan also met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, whom he reaffirmed the longstanding bilateral ties between Singapore and Indonesia with.
The Ministers agreed to establish a joint task force between the two governments, representing their shared commitment to tackling the transboundary haze.
According to the MFA’s press release, the aim of the task force is to strengthen information sharing and cooperation in addressing the ongoing issue.
This included creating a hotline between both Ministries, in order to keep channels of communication open.
In a statement to the press on 28 Oct, Dr Balakrishnan emphasised the need for “high-level direct communication between governments” for such transboundary events, thus necessitating his trip to Indonesia.
You can’t conduct diplomacy just by the phone or through the media, with all due respect. There’s face-to-face direct explanation, conveying concerns, and also looking for solutions.
Source: Sekretariat President via YouTube
Dr Balakrishnan stated that the task force aimed to facilitate a collective response and synergy from both Indonesia and Singapore.
He also reiterated that the task force would crack down on haze-linked companies ‘engaging in anti-social and dangerous acts’, including forest and land fires.
By enforcing regulatory and legal measures, the task force would do their best to prevent its recurrence.
He shared that the Singaporean government is working on enhancing legislative and policy tools to keep companies accountable.
Dr Balakrishnan said that the haze issue has been plaguing Southeast Asia for almost three decades, and finding a definitive solution was crucial now more than ever.
When pressed for more details on the task force, Dr Balakrishnan said that he was not in a position to disclose more information.
He stated that the key elements of the task force were “to deal with this issue [of the haze], exchange information, and)facilitate each authority’s work in our respective jurisdictions”.
Due to the commitment of senior ministers from both countries, the task force would be quickly and efficiently assembled.
Source: Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim via Facebook
In response to the recent cutoff of Indonesian gas exports, Dr Balakrishnan pointed out that Singapore has access to a diversified range of sources, including liquified natural gas (LNG) terminals.
Citing statements made by Indonesian ministers, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry Tan See Leng, he emphasised that both Singapore and Indonesia “understand that there is a reason why signatures and contractual obligations matter”.
Dr Balakrishnan expressed that he was not fond of the term ‘resource nationalism’, as he understood that every government should prioritise essential supplies for their own people and economy.
He recognised that the frontline victims in Indonesia were facing the brunt of suffering.
However, he also stated that there was value from working together, as cross-border contracts facilitate mutual infrastructure development to achieve economies of scale.
Working together and looking after your own needs […] It’s a false dichotomy to make it an “either or” dilemma.
Dr Balakrishnan also highlighted the importance of being prepared in times of need, by diversifying sources of supplies and storage reserves.
For example, Minister Tan recently announced plans to explore crude oil storage in Jurong Rock Caverns with Saudi Arabia.
Dr Balakrishnan explained that the extensive travels of Singaporean ministers were to “secure essential supplies to keep Singapore going” and prepare the country for times of crisis.
This habit of being prepared […] enables us – when the time comes – to cope calmly, comprehensively, and confidently.
On the topic of Southeast Asian relations, Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged that issues affecting people on the ground, such as the haze, would inevitably involve politics.
However, he stated that Singapore would always be interdependent with neighbouring countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
Thus, it was crucial to remain united in the face of common threats in order to overcome them together.
“It is essential in times like this to keep looking out for cooperative, collaborative, constructive solution,” the Minister said.
He expressed optimism in the open and candid lines of communication at the most senior level, allowing the Singaporean and Indonesian governments to work together effectively.
With Singapore set to chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2027, Dr Balakrishnan deemed it essential to strengthen the partnerships within ASEAN.
It is building resilience, starting with your home base, and then expanding it to our immediate neighbourhood, and then [….] building partnerships across the globe.
Dr Balakrishnan was confident that “we will get through this again, in our usual Singapore way”.
Source: Vivian Balakrishnan via YouTube
Also read: S’pore has sufficient gas supply to meet demand despite Indonesia cutting exports: Tan See Leng
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Featured image adapted from Vivian Balakrishnan via YouTube.