DR NG: FOCUS IS ON REBUILDING TIES WITH INDONESIA

There is no magic formula to mending relations between Singapore and Indonesia over the warship naming incident, said Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen on the sidelines of a community event in Toa Payoh on 20 Apr.

"Strengthening relations and bilateral ties is a process. Like most relationships, it takes time and mutual trust and confidence...(and) mutual regard and mutual respect," said Dr Ng.

He noted: "As neighbours we benefit much when relations with each other are good. This is also relevant to the relations between the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces).

"The SAF will work with TNI to improve relations and we will find ways to move beyond this incident and to mend and repair ties which have been affected."

Earlier this year, the Indonesian media reported that the Indonesian Navy would name a new warship after Indonesian marines Usman Bin Haji Muhammad Ali and Harun Bin Said. The two soldiers were convicted of the 1965 bombing of MacDonald House in downtown Singapore and executed for the incident which killed three and injured another 33 people. Singapore leaders then expressed their concerns over the incident and ties between the two countries have been strained since.

In a televised interview aired last week, TNI chief General (GEN) Moeldoko said: "Once again, I apologise. We have no ill intent whatsoever to stir emotions. Not at all. Second, relations between the two countries are on the mend."

Following media reports that interpreted his comments as an apology for the naming of the warship, GEN Moeldoko clarified that he had been misquoted and was instead expressing his regret that the name of the warship would remain unchanged.

Responding to GEN Moeldoko's comments, Dr Ng said: "I think it's not productive for us to get involved in their domestic politics... We accept his words on camera at face value - that they have acknowledged that they have stirred up emotions."

The way ahead was to find ways to move beyond this incident, said Dr Ng. But he also cautioned that this would not be an easy task. "I think how we move forward will depend on our ability to treat each other with mutual respect and regard as sovereign equals.

"And if both sides want to build a strong relationship based on those terms, and both sides recognise very fully that we, as neighbours...need each other and we need to work together, I'm confident that we can rebuild confidence that has been built up over many many decades."