(From right) Singapore Ambassador to Indonesia Kwok Fook Seng, Zelda Wulan Kartika, special staff member to Indonesia’s Foreign Minister for economic diplomacy, and Indonesia’s Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo at the launch in Jakarta of The Next Chapter: Envisioning The Future Of Indonesia-Singapore Relations. - Photo: ST
SINGAPORE: Recent landmark Indonesia-Singapore agreements did not materialise overnight but were the payoff from decades of groundwork and trust-building, panellists said at the launch of a book on the “next chapter” of bilateral ties.
Both sides must keep this hard-won momentum alive by continuing to invest in trust, personal networks and close engagement as a new generation of leaders takes over, they said at the Wednesday (Dec 17) launch in Jakarta of The Next Chapter: Envisioning The Future Of Indonesia-Singapore Relations.
In 2022, the two countries signed key agreements covering the management of the Flight Information Region, which governs the control and safety of civilian air traffic, the expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and an extradition treaty. The agreements were brought into force in 2024.
Speaking at the book launch, former Singapore ambassador to Indonesia Barry Desker said the signing of these landmark agreements “did not come out of nowhere”, describing it instead as a “gradual process” built on trust and leader-level understanding that took almost three decades to resolve.
Professor Desker, who served as ambassador from 1986 to 1993, said personal ties were often decisive in helping both sides manage sensitive issues, recounting how informal connections mattered especially when official relations were strained in the early years.
He said ties began to improve after Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s visit to Jakarta in 1974, adding that the personal relationship between Lee and Indonesia President Suharto played a key role in stabilising relations.
“At their first meeting, President Suharto observed that Indonesia had no territorial claims on Singapore… Lee Kuan Yew, on the other hand, won President Suharto’s confidence by pointing out that Singapore did not see itself as a third China,” he said.
These informal connections were significant, as there were very limited bilateral interactions at a more senior level at that time, he added.
The panel, moderated by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s senior fellow Siwage Dharma Negara, also featured visiting senior fellow Leo Suryadinata, a professor from the same institute, and Associate Professor Bilveer Singh, an adjunct senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
The event in Jakarta was held at the Cikini 82 building, the site of the official residence of Indonesia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Dr Siwage, who edited the book along with Prof Leo, noted how both countries continue to navigate a more uncertain regional and global environment.
“The relationship between our two countries is not just historic but also very dynamic, filled with both challenges and tremendous opportunities,” he said.
Prof Singh stressed that ties have endured despite “asymmetries” between the two neighbours and the legacy of Confrontation, the 1960s conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia that also strained ties with Singapore, which had to be restored over time.
“What more asymmetries do you want other than Singapore and Indonesia?” he said, adding that ties between a small city-state and a large neighbour have progressed through “win-win kind of solutions”.
He pointed to the role of close, candid exchanges among leaders and officials as a foundation of trust.
“But the fact that two of you can sit down and chat heart to heart... and I think that’s basically a critical foundation of where we are,” he said, referring to the personal chemistry that underpinned ties between leaders such as Lee and President Suharto.
The book launch was attended by Indonesia’s Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo, Singapore Ambassador to Indonesia Kwok Fook Seng, and Zelda Wulan Kartika, special staff member to Indonesia’s Foreign Minister for economic diplomacy.
Prof Leo said the book also highlights the importance of cultural understanding in sustaining bilateral ties, warning that formal agreements alone are not enough to prevent friction.
Without a deep grasp of language and culture, even well-intentioned interactions can lead to misunderstandings, he said.
“Only when you are able to… understand the culture of other countries would you be able to improve the relations of the two countries,” Prof Leo said, adding that diplomats who invested time in learning local customs were often better positioned to manage sensitive issues.
Looking ahead, the panellists said the transition to a new generation of leaders in both countries will test whether past habits of trust and close engagement can be sustained.
Both Singapore and Indonesia underwent leadership transitions in 2024, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong succeeding Lee Hsien Loong and President Prabowo Subianto taking over from Joko Widodo.
Prof Singh stressed that relations must continue to be anchored in sincerity and mutual benefit, and that both sides have little choice but to keep the relationship on a stable footing. “You can never choose your neighbours… with whom you’re going to be there permanently,” he said.
Against the backdrop of sharper great-power rivalry and the growing domestication of politics, he said that sustained personal ties and constant communication will matter even more.
“The key must be… constant, continued deep communication,” he said, adding that bilateral cooperation must benefit “the people, the state and the government”. - The Straits Times/ANN
