Saturday 8 February 2014

Singapore voices concern over naming of Indonesian navy ship, the KRI Usman Harun

Singapore urges Jakarta not to 'reopen old wounds'
Decision to name ship after bombers ignores impact on victims: Ministers
By Zakir Hussain, The Straits Times, 7 Feb 2014

THREE Singapore ministers have responded to Indonesia's decision to name a Navy ship after the Indonesian marines who bombed an Orchard Road building in 1965, leaving three people dead and 33 people injured.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen yesterday joined Foreign Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam in asking Indonesia to consider the feelings of Singaporeans, saying naming the ship after the two men who were hanged in Singapore for their actions would reopen old wounds and leave Singaporeans asking what message Indonesia was trying to send.



 But Indonesian leaders said marines Osman Mohamed Ali and Harun Said were considered heroes and there would be no changing the plan to name the navy frigate the KRI Usman Harun.

Singaporeans reacting to the news yesterday said the naming was insensitive and unfriendly, but many Indonesians defended their country's right to honour the two men.

The March 10 attack on MacDonald House happened at the height of Indonesia's Confrontation against newly formed Malaysia, which then included Singapore. The marines were convicted and executed in 1968, but were given a ceremonial burial by Jakarta.

Indonesia's Kompas newspaper reported this week that a new British-made frigate would be named after the two men, in line with the practice of naming ships after heroes.

Mr Shanmugam was first to register his concerns with his Indonesian counterpart, Dr Marty Natalegawa, on Wednesday. Yesterday, Mr Teo and Dr Ng called their counterparts too, and reinforced a point made by Mr Shanmugam earlier.

"DPM Teo and Dr Ng, on behalf of the Singapore Government, respectfully asked that Indonesia takes into account the feelings of the victims and their families, and the implications and consequences, when making their decision whether to name the warship after the two marines," said Mr Teo's press secretary, Mr Yap Neng Jye.

"We initiated the phone calls to express our concerns because we value the good relations we have with Indonesia."

Mr Teo and Dr Ng conveyed Singapore's view that the bombing "was a wrong and grievous attack on civilians in Singapore resulting in deaths and injuries".

Mr Yap said: "The matter had been closed in May 1973 when then PM Lee Kuan Yew sprinkled flowers on the graves of the two marines. After this, both countries have put the issue behind us and moved on to build the close ties we now enjoy.

"The naming of the Indonesian warship after the two marines who carried out the bombing would reopen old wounds, not just among the victims and their families, but also for the Singapore public. Singaporeans would ask what message Indonesia is trying to send by naming its warship in this manner."

Mr Natalegawa made clear yesterday the ship's name would not be changed.

"Why should it be that way? It is sufficient for us to record the Singapore Government's concern," he said inside the Parliament building. "I just conveyed to the Singapore Government that we have recorded their concern and I reckoned the issue has been settled."



 Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said this was a matter on which "there can be no intervention from other countries".

Last year, there was a move to rename a street near the Marine Corps headquarters in central Jakarta Jalan Usman Harun, a change navy spokesman Untung Suropati said was imminent.



Jakarta's move 'reflects disrespect'
Two more S'pore ministers criticise naming of Indonesian Navy ship
By Leonard Lim, The Straits Times, 8 Feb 2014

TWO Cabinet ministers with military backgrounds took issue yesterday with Indonesia's decision to name a navy ship after two marines who bombed an Orchard Road building in 1965.

In separate Facebook posts, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing and Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said it reflected disrespect, callousness and insensitivity.

Mr Tan, a one-star general before he entered politics, wrote in a Facebook post: "It is one thing to remember your heroes from your wars of independence, or those who have built your nation.

"But it is another thing altogether when you celebrate those who had acted in a brutal and cowardly manner. There is nothing heroic about killing innocent civilians."

He also disclosed that his father had worked in MacDonald House where the bomb went off, but was on medical leave on that fateful day, March 10, 1965.

Post by Tan Chuan-Jin.
Acknowledging Indonesia's insistence on its right to name the vessel as it sees fit, he added: "But it is also our right to state categorically that this very act reflects callousness and disrespect."

Mr Chan, a former chief of army, said Indonesian leaders' statements had "reflected either a lack of sensitivity, a lack of care for the bilateral ties, or both".

Bilateral relations had been carefully built up over the years, he added.

He expressed hope that the new generation of Indonesian leaders would display "similar wisdom and leadership to put the bilateral ties foremost in all that we do", like their predecessors.

Recalling his two-year stint in Jakarta as the army attache, Mr Chan added that Indonesians have shown that they are able to appreciate the "fine sensitivities of a relationship".

"I am thus disappointed with this episode. I hope the Indonesian leaders will not sacrifice our bilateral relations, so carefully built up, to domestic politics or through carelessness."

Mr Tan and Mr Chan's comments followed those of Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam on Thursday. They said naming the ship after the two men would reopen old wounds, and leave Singaporeans asking what message Indonesia was trying to send.

The bombing, which killed three people and injured 33, took place at the peak of Indonesia's Confrontation. The marines were caught and hanged in Singapore in 1968, but were given a full military burial by Jakarta.

Former senior minister of state for foreign affairs Lee Khoon Choy, too, said yesterday that the naming of the ship in honour of marines Osman Mohamed Ali and Harun Said was a "foolish" move.

"They could have named a building in Jakarta after the two. But a ship travels to other countries and if others see the names of terrorists, it can be seen as Indonesia not having given up its aggressive motives," said Mr Lee, who was Singapore's ambassador to Indonesia from 1970 to 1974.

He added that the move could also be viewed as Indonesia "still honouring terrorism".

What the two marines did was clearly an act of terror, said Nee Soon GRC MP Lim Wee Kiak, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs, and academic Brian Farrell.

Referring to the Geneva Convention - which sets out the parameters of international law in conflict and seeks to protect those not taking part in hostilities - Dr Lim said that even in war, to send non-uniformed marines to another country to harm civilians is "not acceptable internationally".

He added: "You should be targeting military, rather than civilian, targets. To aim at civilian targets is not conforming to international law."

Professor Farrell, a military historian who has published extensively on the Confrontation, said the legal foundations for Singapore's execution of the men were "crystal clear" as well.

The National University of Singapore don added: "Indonesia was completely in the legal wrong to use violence against Malaysia and Singapore, in Malaysia and Singapore, without any formal declaration of war."




HEROES AND KILLERS

It is one thing to remember your heroes from your wars of independence, or those who have built your nation. But it is another thing altogether when you celebrate those who had acted in a brutal and cowardly manner. There is nothing heroic about killing innocent civilians.




CRYING CHICKEN

Let Singapore keep shrieking, like a chicken beaten by a stick.
- Golkar MP Hajriyanto Thohari, deputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly






Warship named 'only to honour heroes'
By Zakir Hussain and Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, The Straits Times, 8 Feb 2014

THE Indonesian Navy says its decision to name a new warship after two marines hanged for the 1965 bombing of an Orchard Road building that killed three and injured 33 was purely to honour men their nation had recognised as heroes more than 45 years ago.

"There was no other intention," chief spokesman Untung Suropati told The Straits Times yesterday, addressing concerns from Singapore over the consequences of the move.

The navy, he added, traditionally names frigates after heroes, and a committee made the decision after doing historical research and getting the approval of Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

Reports that the new vessel would be named KRI Usman Harun saw Singapore ministers contacting their Indonesian counterparts over the past two days.

They said the move would reopen old wounds and leave Singaporeans asking what message Indonesia was trying to send.

In response, senior Indonesian officials said there would be no change to the plan to name the vessel after marines Osman Mohamed Ali and Harun Said, who were decorated after their hanging in 1968.

"The issue has been settled," Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters yesterday.

But several MPs and observers did not think so, deriding Singapore's concerns in the media.

Golkar MP Hajriyanto Thohari, deputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly, said Singapore's objections did not deserve a hearing because it did not know the two were national heroes.

"If need be, we should build a bigger, more sophisticated warship and name it KRI Usman Harun II," Antara News Agency reported him as saying.

"Let Singapore keep shrieking, like a chicken beaten by a stick," he added in Javanese.

International law expert Hikmahanto Juwana, from the University of Indonesia, said a soldier who dies in action is not acting on his own, but in the name of his country. He drew a comparison with how Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was criticised for visiting the Yasukuni war shrine. Mr Abe regarded those enshrined as heroes while his country's neighbours saw them as war criminals.

"If Singapore's concerns are heeded and Indonesia changes its policies, then names like Prince Diponegoro, Sultan Hasanuddin, I Gusti Ngurah Rai and many more should not be used as the names of universities or airports in Indonesia, because the Dutch might be offended and raise concerns next," he said, citing well-known heroes who fought against Dutch colonial forces.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto had said on Thursday: "The Indonesian Navy has the authority and had considered in a mature way the paying of tribute to its heroes, so they are immortalised on a number of Indonesian warships."

Indonesian Democratic Party- Struggle MP Eva Kusuma Sundari told The Straits Times that the two marines remained Indonesia's heroes, and that both sides should look ahead, not backwards.





Indonesian MPs, officers dismiss Singapore's objections
By Zakir Hussain And Tham Yuen-c, The Straits Times, 7 Feb 2014

SINGAPORE'S objections to the naming of a new Indonesian naval frigate KRI Usman Harun were widely reported online in Indonesia, but brushed off by officers in the Indonesian military and MPs, who said a change of heart would imply weakness.

Indonesian Navy spokesman First Admiral Untung Suropati told Tempo.co news website: "They can go ahead and object - we are convinced the marines are heroes who should be emulated."

Indonesian Democratic Party- Struggle (PDI-P) MP Tubagus Hasanuddin told reporters that the government should reject any effort to rename the ship.

"Don't be weak. If we change, it means downgrading Usman and Harun to non-hero status," the former major-general said. "It means we bend to Singapore's will. To me, that is not right."

Dr Terence Lee of the National University of Singapore said that from Indonesia's point of view, "it's perfectly all right and normal to name ships after heroes of the nation".

The marines were made heroes and buried at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta after their execution.

Associate Professor Leonard Sebastian, who coordinates the Indonesia programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said bilateral ties would not be affected.

"Both sides know what the issues are," he said.

In Singapore's view, he said, the marines committed a heinous act, and were tried and executed according to the law for acts of terrorism against non-combatants.

The Indonesians, he said, considered themselves at war with Malaysia at the time because of the Confrontation, and the marines were carrying out what they considered their duty.

He said: "In that regard, Indonesia named the ship in honour of soldiers considered heroes in doing their duty."

 Assoc Prof Sebastian feels the two sides will agree to disagree and move on. "All countries have different interpretations of history - the issue is how well it is managed between the two countries," he said.

Singaporeans criticised the naming of the ship as insensitive and unfriendly.

As one netizen pointed out: "We do hope they reconsider their choices - imagine when we have joint naval exercises, and these ships are involved."

But some felt both countries had valid viewpoints.

Netizen Keehan Tey wrote on The Straits Times website: "They were lowly soldiers acting under orders and died for their country. It is for Indonesia to honour them... Obviously, Singapore and Indonesia have different views about the significance of the Confrontation."

Some urged fellow Singaporeans to take things in perspective, noting that the two countries now enjoy good relations.





MacDonald House blast: 3 dead, 33 injured, but bombers treated as heroes in Indonesia
By Ong Sor Fern, The Straits Times, 7 Feb 2014

THE MacDonald House bombing was the worst attack in Singapore by Indonesian saboteurs during Konfrontasi, the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation that took place from 1963 to 1966.

Indonesia's then president Sukarno had opposed the formation of Malaysia, which Singapore was part of from September 1963 to August 1965, as a puppet state of the British.

Jakarta's armed opposition led it to launch several low-level conflicts across Malaysia and Singapore during that period. In Singapore, Indonesian saboteurs set off a total of 37 bombs, the worst of which happened in Orchard Road, where MacDonald House was located.

The incident is making the headlines again because Indonesia has named a navy ship after the two men responsible for the attack.

The bombing occurred at 3.07pm on March 10, 1965, when an 11kg package of nitroglycerine planted on the mezzanine floor was set off. The explosion was so powerful that all the windows in buildings within a 100m radius were shattered.

Three people died and 33 people were injured. Mother of six Elizabeth Suzie Choo Kway Hoi - 36 and a private secretary to the manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank - and Juliet Goh Hwee Kuang, 23 and an only child, were killed in the blast. Victim Mohammed Yasin Kesit, 45, remained in a coma and died later in hospital, leaving a widow and eight children.

Two Indonesian marines, Osman Mohamed Ali, 25, and Harun Said, 21, were charged on March 16 over the bombing and hanged in Changi jail on Oct 17,

1968. They were conferred the status of national heroes and given a ceremonial funeral at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta.

Indonesia's aggressive policy of confrontation was formally abandoned in August 1966, though it had ended earlier in October 1965 when Sukarno was overthrown.





I was shocked to hear about the naming of warship: Daughter of victim
Mother’s death in attack left her and five siblings orphans; but she had considered the matter closed till now
By Lin Yanqin, TODAY, 8 Feb 2014

Held in remand by the police for their roles in the 1965 MacDonald House bombing, Indonesian marines Usman Hj Mohd Ali and Harun Said had asked to see Ms Janet Ng Lin Seong, whose mother Elizabeth Suzie Choo was one of three killed in the attack, making her and her five siblings orphans overnight. She refused to see them. “I didn’t want to see them because it was too painful,” said Ms Ng, who was 20 at the time of the bombing and the eldest child.

Nevertheless, on Oct 17, 1968, when the two marines were to be hanged, she forgave them after they asked for her forgiveness. She felt they knew they had done something wrong. She even asked the police if they could be released.

But she was reminded of the hurt earlier this week when news broke that the Indonesian government had named a warship after the two marines.

Post by Channel NewsAsia Singapore.


Speaking to TODAY over the phone from Australia where she was visiting her family, Ms Ng, now 69, said she had considered the chapter closed and was shocked by the news.

“Innocent lives were lost … six of us were made orphans overnight. We lost our mother, the only supporter of the family. It was very painful for us and it is still painful whenever we pass MacDonald House,” said Ms Ng, whose parents were separated.

“The two men asked for forgiveness and I had given (it) before they were executed. It is part of history and we have learned from it. The good relationship (between Singapore and Indonesia) should be maintained. It should not be brought up to remind us again.”

The bombing on March 10, 1965 of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Building, known as MacDonald House, was the worst attack in Singapore during Konfrontasi, which took place from 1963 to 1966.

Apart from Ms Ng’s mother, who was then 36 and working as the secretary to the bank manager, the attack killed her mother’s assistant Juliet Goh Hwee Kuang, 23, and Mohammed Yasin Kesit, 45 — and wounded more than 30 others.

The Indonesian marines were members of the special force that infiltrated Singapore. They were later conferred the status of national heroes in Indonesia and given a ceremonial funeral.

Indonesia’s policy of confrontation was formally abandoned in August 1966. Bilateral relations were restored in 1973 after Singapore’s then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew sprinkled flowers on the graves of the two men.

Ms Ng, who has two children and four grandchildren, remembers the day of the bombing vividly.

Then a student at the Teachers’ Training College, she was in a teaching practical when a phone call informed her that her mother had been in an accident.

Her dread turned to horror at the hospital when she saw a figure covered in a white sheet. “They lifted the sheet ... I fainted at the table,” said Ms Ng.

Her siblings were schooling at the time. Ms Ng said the family coped with support from the bank which provided them with an allowance, while she supplemented the family income by giving private tuition.

Today, whenever she passes MacDonald House with her grandchildren, she would point out to them that the place was where their great-grandmother died and tell them about the attack.

“It was a shock (to hear about the naming of the warship),” she said. “I thought it was over.”

She added: “Why did they want to bring it up again after so long? Why did they want to do it, to bring back the pain to all three families again? I wish that the whole subject is closed, and I want to thank the (Singapore) Government for trying to stop the whole issue.”



Mr Kenny Yeo, who is in his 70s, was left blind in one eye after he was injured in the bomb blast. He required more than 300 stitches all over his body. However, he just wants to move on. “I am angry, but since this is an event of the past, we should just forgive. If they want to provoke us, just let them,” said Mr Yeo.

Mr Lee Khoon Choy served as Singapore’s Ambassador to Indonesia between 1970 and 1974, and was tasked to help mend bilateral ties.

He said: “I feel that once Mr Lee Kuan Yew had put the flowers (on the marines’ graves), the matter is settled. You should not take it out again. They’re already in heroes’ graves.”





Worst of 37 attacks by Indonesian saboteurs here
The Straits Times, 8 Feb 2014

THE bombing at MacDonald House in Orchard Road occurred during Konfrontasi, the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation that took place from 1963 to 1966.

Three people died and 33 people were injured, in the worst of 37 attacks in Singapore by Indonesian saboteurs.

Indonesia's then President Sukarno opposed the formation of Malaysia, which had included Singapore. Jakarta launched several low-level conflicts across Malaysia and Singapore.

Two Indonesian marines, Osman Mohamed Ali, 25, and Harun Said, 21, were charged with the MacDonald House bombing and hanged in Changi jail in 1968.

They were conferred national hero status by Indonesia and given a full military funeral in South Jakarta.

Indonesia's aggressive policy of confrontation ended in October 1965, when President Sukarno was overthrown.

In 1973, then Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew sprinkled flowers on the graves of the two marines. After this, both countries put the issue behind them and moved on to build close ties.

This week, Indonesia's Kompas newspaper reported that a new British-made frigate would be named after the two men, in line with the practice of naming ships after heroes.

On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen joined Foreign Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam in urging Indonesia to re-consider, as naming the ship after the men would reopen old wounds and leave Singaporeans asking what message Indonesia was trying to send.

But Indonesian leaders said the marines were heroes, and there would be no change of plans in naming the ship KRI Usman Harun.





KRI Usman Harun not welcome in Singapore waters
By David Boey, Published The Straits Times, 8 Feb 2014

INDONESIA'S decision to name a new warship KRI Usman Harun, after Indonesian saboteurs executed in Singapore decades ago for the MacDonald House bombing in 1965, sets interesting posers for Indonesia-Singapore defence and foreign relations.

The 90m-long warship should not be welcome in Singapore territorial waters, as the so-named man-of-war would tear open old wounds sustained during a violent time in our bilateral relations.

While ties are presently warm and friendly, the passage of KRI Usman Harun in Singapore's waters will inevitably turn the spotlight on the campaign of urban terrorism Indonesia unleashed against our island-nation during an undeclared war which history records euphemistically as the Confrontation.

The choice of name would also ignite debate on what constitutes a "hero".

If the March 1965 attack on MacDonald House by the two Indonesian marines was staged in today's context, it would be clearly and unambiguously defined as urban terror, and elicit the same degree of condemnation, odium and disgust civilised people feel towards war waged against unarmed civilians by saboteurs who flee once their sinister deed has been triggered.

In essence, the bombing of MacDonald House by KRI Usman Harun's namesakes was carried out in that unseemly fashion. As soldiers, they obeyed their mission orders faithfully. This defence - that they were merely following orders - is the same smokescreen combatants brought to justice for crimes against humanity have hoisted to explain away or soothe over misdeeds like attacks on civilians.

As fate decreed, Singapore police caught the duo after an islandwide manhunt. The Indonesian saboteurs, Osman Mohamed Ali and Harun Said, were tried and convicted for murder and hanged in Changi prison in October 1968.

Executed as murderers in the Lion City, the dead marines were feted as heroes when their bodies were returned to Indonesia. News of their deaths angered Indonesian mobs, which sacked the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta.

Alas, if you thought Singapore has put this regrettable episode in our bilateral ties behind us and moved on, the past caught up with us this week.

So, while the vast majority of Singaporeans - youth and adults - would likely think of the fast-food chain upon hearing the word "MacDonald" in spoken form, we all received a refresher on our country's birth pangs when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) shared its thoughts on the matter.

In response to media queries on Indonesian press reports on the naming of a warship as KRI Usman Harun, an MFA spokesman said: "The two Indonesian marines were found guilty of the bombing which killed three people and injured 33 others. Singapore had considered this difficult chapter in the bilateral relationship closed in May 1973 when then PM Lee Kuan Yew visited and scattered flowers on the graves of the two marines.

"Minister for Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam spoke to Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Marty Natalegawa, to register Singapore's concerns over the naming of the navy ship and the impact this would have on the feelings of Singaporeans, especially the families of the victims."

Three Singapore ministers have weighed in on this issue, underscoring the gravity of the matter. On Wednesday, Mr Shanmugam registered his concerns with his Indonesian counterpart. This was followed on Thursday with calls made by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen to their Indonesian counterparts to reinforce the point made by Mr Shanmugam.

We in Singapore should never forget the pain, the sorrow and the bloodletting, so senseless and indiscriminate, that the string of urban terror attacks inflicted upon countless Singaporean families during the Confrontation.

Attacks against civilians are a heinous act of war that no military should be proud of, a dishonourable blemish, a smear on the operational record of any self-respecting armed forces, a cowardly hit-and-run affair unworthy of hero worship.

 That tainted record will be shouted out resoundingly at every foreign port of call, reminding foreigners both of the namesakes' dark deeds and Singapore's swift and decisive response to terrorism.

The KRI Usman Harun episode is a teachable moment for Singaporeans. It is another update to our National Education library from a country which coined the popular catchphrase "little red dot", a reminder of how the sensibilities and sensitivities of our small island-nation can be brushed aside by mindsets that see themselves as the strong armed cukong (power broker), the dominant entity in an imagined abang-adik (big brother-small brother) relationship rather than one where neighbouring states are viewed as equal, sovereign entities.

Singapore should tag KRI Usman Harun as a contact of interest as the warship is due to enter service later this year.

Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) warships should politely decline any passage exercises with this vessel, as joint training with it would be a flirtation with a hull that fetes saboteurs who drew civilian blood on our soil.

Singapore's warships should never come alongside that ship, be it for a heaving line transfer or courtesy call on its deck. Imagine the odd and unfortunate picture of RSN officers dining in the wardroom of that ship with portraits of its dead namesakes staring down on the assembled ranks.

The RSN should further make it clear that that name plate will not be welcome within its naval bases, whether as part of the Exercise Eagle war games or naval shows like Imdex.

It is well within the sovereign rights of nations to call their warships anything they want.

It is also well within Singapore's sovereign right to decline the passage of men-of-war whose presence would reopen old wounds, whose show of flag would inflame and provoke anger and stoke memories of a deadly act of terrorism for which the authors paid with their lives.

A former Straits Times defence correspondent, David Boey blogs on defence issues at kementah.blogspot.sg and is a member of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence






Can we be more sensitive?
The Jakarta Post, Editorial, 8 Feb 2014

The diplomatic row between Indonesia and Singapore is unfortunate and could have been avoided if we had been a little more sensitive toward our neighbor.

Singapore has formally protested Jakarta’s decision to name a new corvette after two marines who planted a bomb, killing three people in the city state five decades ago, at the height of the Indonesia’s “Confrontation” war with the newly independent Malaya, which then included Singapore.

In 1968, Singapore executed the two men, Second Sgt. Usman and Second Cpl. Harun, in spite of Jakarta’s pleas for clemency. Relations between the two countries were only patched up when then-Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew visited Jakarta in 1973 and paid his respects at the two men’s graves in Jakarta’s Kalibata Heroes Cemetery.

Since then, both countries have managed to put the issue behind them and forge close, warm and mutually beneficial ties, bilaterally as well as through ASEAN.

Until this week, that is.

Singapore says naming the corvette Usman-Harun hurt the feelings of Singaporeans, particularly relatives of the victims.

Indonesia balked at the protest, with Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto saying the government would not back off and stressed that no outsiders had the right to interfere in such decisions. Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa diplomatically said Indonesia had taken note of Singapore’s concerns, and that was considered enough.

Indonesia will unlikely reverse its decision due to a protest from its tiny, “red-dot” neighbor. A review or an apology would have been lauded as a stately gesture, but that is not liable to happen while nationalist sentiment is reaching fever pitch in Indonesia in this election year.

Will our relations with return to normal? Yes, but not necessarily soon. We should at least draw an important lesson from this episode.

Indonesia often accuses its neighbors of a lack of sensitivity toward our feelings. Officials and politicians, helped by the media, do not hesitate to raise hell and mobilize public opinion, scoring a few political points along the way, by lashing out at foreign countries for their perceived insensitivity.

The decision to name this naval ship must surely have been the result of lengthy deliberations, and those involved must have known that this would upset Singapore. They could have picked from the thousands of other names of people buried in heroes cemeteries scattered across the country but instead, they chose these two.

In the future, can we be more sensitive?




A most unfortunate name for a ship
Editorial, The Straits Times, 11 Feb 2014

WHAT prompted the Indonesian navy to name a warship after two marines hanged in Singapore for killing innocent civilians here a long time ago is hard to fathom. Such a brutal act flies in the face of established international law and generally accepted civilised conduct. How this could be deemed "heroic" is baffling. What is clear is that Indonesian officials are not taking adequate account of the public outrage the navy's action has caused. An insensitive act which could have been contained through neighbourly consultation is developing into a diplomatic quarrel neither country wants. This is indicated in the absence, through mutual pique, of an Indonesian military delegation at the Singapore Airshow where defence discussions take place.

Most telling is that a large number of Singapore ministers have spoken out, some in unusually strong language. The message sent is unequivocal: Bilateral relations are too important to be trifled with through acts of carelessness; and Singapore acts decisively to defend itself against incursions and terrorist acts.

Indonesia regards the marines who bombed MacDonald House as "heroes" for carrying out orders. It is free, of course, to honour its citizens in an appropriate manner. But the history and circumstances of events and personalities cited for memorialisation need to be weighed objectively. The 1965 attack occurred during Confrontation, President Sukarno's ill-judged armed response to the formation of Malaysia which included Singapore. There were many terrorist incursions, with all of Malaya and Singapore placed on the defensive. Indonesian officials who liken these acts to those of nationalists fighting Dutch colonisation of their country are cherry-picking its history. They dishonour themselves. Indonesia of all countries should know what it takes to contend with organised terror, and understand the pain that families of its victims have to endure.

Singapore-Indonesia relations had their rocky patches during the Sukarno and Habibie presidencies but improved thereafter, to reach peaks of cordial and constructive dealings under Suharto and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. A new president will be elected this year. Ties should be nurtured as Indonesia, as an essential part of Asean and a rising economic power, will gain from goodwill in the neighbourhood. This will not just propel its growth but promote its standing. Higher councils in Jakarta ought to steer relations back towards the path of accommodation with mutual respect as the watchword. Good neighbours should never place allies in the position of having to decide on visitation rights for a navy ship bearing names that rake up a painful past.







Singapore cancels invites to Indonesian officers
By Jermyn Chow Defence Correspondent And Zakir Hussain Indonesia Bureau Chief, The Straits Times, 10 Feb 2014

A TOP Indonesian naval officer and other military staff have been told that their invitations to the Singapore Airshow had been cancelled.

Indonesia's Defence Ministry's public communications head Sisriadi Iskandar said Singapore had pulled the invitation to Indonesian navy chief Marsetio and 100 Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) officers last Saturday.

The move comes amid a diplomatic row following Jakarta's decision to name a navy ship after the Indonesian marines who bombed an Orchard Road building, MacDonald House, in 1965 that left three dead and 33 hurt.

Brigadier-General Sisriadi also said Indonesian Deputy Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin decided not to come to Singapore after his counterpart, Second Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing, cancelled their meeting due to take place tomorrow. But sources said it was rescheduled.

TNI chief Moeldoko, army chief Budiman and air force chief Ida Bagus Putu Dunia have also cancelled plans to attend.

Mr Sisriadi said: "We understand their concerns, given public opinion in Singapore over recent developments... the deputy minister decided not to take up the invitation."

The cancellation was communicated through the Defence Attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore, he added.

TNI spokesman Iskandar Sitompul also confirmed the no- show by the TNI chief and his service chiefs. "This is unfortunate because relations between our two militaries all this while have been strong, whether in joint training, visits or education."

Singapore's Defence Ministry confirmed yesterday that it was informed of the decision by the top defence and military officials to skip the six-day event.

In response to queries on whether the Singapore Armed Forces had rescinded invitations to the Indonesian navy chief and TNI officials, Colonel Kenneth Liow declined to comment, but did not deny they had been cancelled.

There were some initial confusion on whether TNI's aerial display team The Jupiter, which was invited to perform, will be recalled or continue to fly.

Col Liow said: "On the Indonesian Air Force's The Jupiter aerobatics team, the Indonesian Air Force has not informed us of any changes to their participation."

The Jupiter's team leader Anwar Sovie said: "We have not received orders not to perform in the Singapore Airshow... So far we are still on (the) main plan."





Singapore move signals 'strong displeasure' to Indonesia
Pulling air show invites indicates ship naming a serious issue, say observers
By Zakir Hussain Indonesia Bureau Chief In Jakarta And Jermyn Chow, The Straits Times, 10 Feb 2014

AS THE controversy over the Indonesian Navy's decision to name a new frigate KRI Usman Harun continues, officers and observers say it appears Singapore is keen to signal its strong displeasure on the matter.

Indonesian defence spokesmen said Singapore's Ministry of Defence rescinded invitations to 100 Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) officers who were slated to attend the Singapore Airshow starting tomorrow.

The move came days after five Singapore ministers conveyed their concerns over the insensitivity of the decision to name the ship after two marines who bombed MacDonald House in Orchard Road in 1965, killing three people and injuring 33 others.

Faced with this, and the fact that a scheduled meeting with Second Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing was no longer on the agenda, Deputy Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin decided it would be out of place if he and other senior officers were to attend the air show as scheduled.

Hence, TNI spokesman Iskan- dar Sitompul confirmed that Armed Forces chief General Moeldoko, Army chief General Budiman and Air Force chief Ida Bagus Putu Dunia have also cancelled their plans.

Gen Moeldoko was scheduled to deliver a lecture organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) for Wednesday, but it would appear that is now off.

Military officers and observers see the latest developments as signalling that as far as Singapore is concerned, there are consequences to what many in Indonesia argue is an internal matter.

Dr Tan See Seng, deputy director of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at the RSIS, said the latest moves are a "reflection that Singapore treats this incident very seriously and wants to convey that impression".

Singapore feels the need to send a forceful message to the Indonesians that it does not condone acts of terrorism on Singapore soil, he said.

Mr Iisgindarsah of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta said it would be counterproductive if the issue was played up for long, adding: "They should not lose sight of the bigger picture."





Indonesia downplays withdrawal of invitations
Officials not reading too much into Singapore Airshow cancellations
By Zakir Hussain, Indonesia Bureau Chief, In Jakarta, The Straits Times, 11 Feb 2014

INDONESIAN officials have sought to downplay Singapore's cancelled invitations for 100 armed forces officers to the Singapore Airshow as well as a cancelled meeting, saying they would not read too much into it.

Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) commander General Moeldoko yesterday told reporters separately that they did not think the ongoing row would affect bilateral relations.

"Neighbours will be there forever," Mr Purnomo said at the Defence Ministry.

"They cancelled the invitation, we did not go. It's as simple as that," he added, when asked if Indonesia was offended.

"Let's not make it complicated."

The cancellations, announced on Sunday, came amid a diplomatic row over Jakarta's decision to name a navy ship KRI Usman Harun, after the two Indonesian marines who bombed MacDonald House in Orchard Road in 1965.

The blast left three people dead and 33 others hurt.

Marines Osman Mohamed Ali and Harun Said were tried, convicted and hanged in 1968. Indonesia buried them with full military honours and declared them national heroes.

Last week, five Singapore ministers raised concerns following reports that a ship would be named after the pair, who carried out attacks in Singapore that killed innocent civilians.

But Indonesia said its decision was final and in line with the tradition of honouring its heroes, a point both Mr Purnomo and Gen Moeldoko stressed yesterday.

Indonesia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday that Singapore's Second Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing had cancelled a scheduled meeting with deputy defence minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin this week and, as a result, Mr Sjafrie decided not to attend the air show.

Invitations to Gen Moeldoko, army chief Budiman and air force chief Ida Bagus Putu Dunia were not cancelled, but they decided not to attend.

"If my men cannot go, and the commander of the TNI goes, it's not good. So no TNI officer will attend the Singapore Airshow," Gen Moeldoko told reporters at Parliament, where he met the foreign affairs and defence committee.

However, the air force's Jupiter Aerobatic Team will go ahead with its performance.

"With the Jupiters, we want to show the world the skill and ability of our pilots, and they did not cancel that," Gen Moeldoko said. "And our defence industries still have a stand," he added.

The TNI chief said Indonesia's military ties with Singapore were wide-ranging, including in education and training.

He added that at the moment, there were no significant changes to military cooperation between the two countries.

Asked about the Indonesian government's reaction to the cancellations, presidential spokesman for international relations Teuku Faizasyah cautioned against overreacting, "especially as the two countries have sound bilateral relations and in the context of Asean".

"The decision to name the ship after Indonesian heroes is final and Indonesia considers the two countries have long resolved the matter following then-prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's (1973) visit to the heroes' cemetery and sprinkling flowers on the graves of Osman and Harun," he said.





Singapore risks overreacting on warship issue: SBY
Don’t allow the incident to return countries to the past, says presidential spokesman
TODAY, 11 Feb 2014

Singapore should reflect on whether its reaction to Indonesia’s decision to name a Navy frigate after two marines who carried out a deadly bombing in the Republic in the ’60s is “proportional”, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said yesterday via his spokesman on foreign affairs.

Metrotvnews.com quoted spokesman Teuku Faizasyah saying that Mr Yudhoyono has given serious attention to the issue. The risks of over-reacting are too high, added Mr Faizasyah, who also emphasised that the two nations have had good relations for a long time.

“We have said clearly that we have no intention of changing the name of the ship,” he said. “We have already developed our friendship to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), our bilateral ties are also strong, let’s not allow things like this to return us to the past when it’s over,” he said.

Echoing his views, Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro also sought to play down the incident and said he does not think bilateral ties will be affected.

“I don’t think that’s a big deal. It happens between neighbours. Neighbours are there, neighbours will be there forever. Sometimes, little things happen, but I think there will be understanding of each other,” he said. “I believe that in the short run, medium run, our relations will be there again. No problem.”

The two countries have been locked in a diplomatic row since it emerged last Tuesday that Indonesia had named a corvette after Usman Hj Mohd Ali and Harun Said.

The marines infiltrated Singapore as part of Konfrontasi, which was Indonesia’s policy of confrontation during Malaysia’s early days. The bomb they planted at MacDonald House in 1965 killed three and injured 33. They were tried and hanged in 1968.

Several of Singapore’s Cabinet Ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, have stated their concerns with their counterparts over the issue, but the spat has dragged on, with Jakarta pushing back with what it saw as interference.

Yesterday, Indonesia’s House of Representatives Commission I legislator Tubagus Hasanudin called for the matter to be dropped.

He said: “The case happened in 1964 in the context of the Konfrontasi between Indonesia and Malaysia, not Singapore. The situation has changed and so has politics. Let’s close the book and be peaceful.”

However, Indonesian military chief Moeldoko took issue with Singapore’s portrayal of the two marines as terrorists. “I cannot accept it if Usman and Harun are represented as terrorists. They were marines; they were state actors,” he said, adding that the military would stand firm on its naming decision and resist any foreign intervention that would harm Indonesia’s sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Second Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing, who was speaking at the opening of the Asia Pacific Security Conference yesterday, said countries need wise and strong leaders who appreciate that there is more to gain from cooperation than conflict. He did not allude to the disagreement over the naming of the warship.

 “We also need courageous leaders who do not succumb to domestic pressures or nationalistic pursuits against the greater good of the region, including seeking to right historical wrongs and perceived wrongs when the conditions are still premature,” he said.

“We need leaders who do not succumb to the notion that might is right — that the mightier one may be, the more circumspect one may be in using one’s might. The mark of a powerful country is not how it is able to use its might to get its way; (but it) is how it is able to restrain itself and not have to use its might to get its way, yet convince others to come along its side.”

The latest comments came after the Republic cancelled invitations to today’s Singapore Airshow for the Indonesian Navy chief and his delegation of junior armed forces officials.

The rescheduling of a meeting that was to take place during the airshow between Mr Chan and his counterpart also resulted in the latter, along with three of his military top brass, deciding not to attend the event.

The development led to queries over whether the scheduled display by the Indonesian Air Force’s Jupiter Aerobatic team at the airshow would happen. Mr Moeldoko said: “We will go on with the plan to display the Jupiter Aerobatic at the show. But we are ready to withdraw if we are not given time to do so.”









Nations need leaders who value benefits in cooperation: Minister
They don't bow to pressure at home at expense of peace
By Jermyn Chow, The Straits Times, 11 Feb 2014

COUNTRIES need wise and strong leaders who appreciate that there is more to gain through cooperation than conflict, said Second Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing.

These leaders should also have the courage not to succumb to domestic pressures fuelled by nationalist sentiments at the expense of regional peace, or hold the notion that "might is right".

To steer away from conflict, Mr Chan urged military and defence professionals to back political efforts by cooperating with their partners "to build trust and work towards common goals".

Mr Chan was addressing more than 280 military officials and defence analysts at the Asia-Pacific Security Conference yesterday, ahead of the Singapore Airshow which starts today.

Amid increasing economic stakes and a growing contest of resources, countries are likely to be more assertive in defending their strategic interests. Growing nationalism in some countries has intensified "historical animosities", said Mr Chan, "which in turn increases the pressure on governments to be seen defending these interests and redressing historical wrongs".

For these countries, foreign policy can become a convenient tool to shift attention away from domestic issues, which can lead to heightened tensions.

Hence, there is a need for "courageous leaders" who do not cave in to domestic pressures against the greater good of the region, "including to right historical wrongs and perceived wrongs when the conditions are still premature".

Mr Chan's comments come amid a diplomatic row between Singapore and Indonesia, following Jakarta's decision to name a navy ship after two Indonesian marines who bombed MacDonald House here in 1965, which left three people dead and 33 hurt.

This move led to five Singapore Cabinet ministers voicing their objections.

On Sunday, top Indonesian military and defence officials, including Deputy Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) chief, decided to skip the air show. Indonesian navy chief Marsetio and 100 TNI officers were also told that their invitations to the event had been cancelled. The Indonesians, a regular fixture at security forums here, were conspicuously absent at yesterday's event.

Although Mr Chan did not refer to Jakarta or the bilateral row, he said the mark of a truly powerful country is not how it is able to use its might to get its way but "how it is able to restrain itself and not have to use its might to get its way and yet convince others to come along its side".

In instances of a failure to resolve differences through political means, there have been occasions in the past where military channels continued to be open and helped calm things, said Mr Chan.

He cautioned that poor military links can stoke tensions, leading to political tangles. "We have also seen poor military professionalism causing unwanted incidents that then lock political masters into positions that they cannot back down (from), causing already tricky situations to spiral out of control."

To steer away from such conflicts, he urged the military and defence community to "interact boldly, dialogue openly, network assiduously and train together professionally".

Yesterday's security conference also touched on the United States' efforts to shift its focus to Asia, which has been seen as an attempt to counter-balance a rising China. Security experts also voiced concerns about recent actions by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which have provoked China.

Among them was his visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan's war dead, including 14 war criminals.

Chinese foreign policy expert Ruan Zongze said the moves demonstrate that Mr Abe is "trying to revise the Japanese course in the future, which will complicate issues in North-east Asia".








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