INDONESIA - Members of the House of Representatives are supporting the government's decision to ignore Singapore's concerns about naming an Indonesian Navy ship after two national heroes who were executed in the city-state for the 1965 MacDonald House bombing.
AND
Indonesian officials claim S’pore fighter jets trespass airspace
INDONESIA - Officials at Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam, Riau Islands, say they detected several Singapore Air Force fighter jets trespassing in Indonesian airspace."
This is an EMOTIONAL topic; with some analysts saying that it is also heavily coloured by some Indonesian political parties or 'persons' in whipping up nationalism in the coming expected to be heated Presidential Election or General Election year.
Lessons for me are:
1. NO ONE or NOT many Singaporeans, especially the younger ones, knew about the bombing and the ensuring execution of the 2 'national heroes' for carrying out their 'military order' in Singapore when it was still part of Malaya. This was during the 'confrontasi' period. Malaya and Indonesia were at war;
2. this 'act of aggression' against the "Singapore state of Malaya" is one of the VERY rare situations of neighbours in current day Aseans had serious military actions. We NEED to put this incident in perspective and not try to equate it with the Sino-Japan never ending spates about their complex hate-love-love-hate relationship of WWII.
For whatever reasons, the President of THEN Indonesia decided to become hostile to Malaya. He ordered his marines to carry out the bombing. They were caught, tried and executed in Singapore. They were ALSO made 'national heroes' back in Indonesia. Ex-PM Lee closed the episode when he scattered flowers on their grave as their custom dictates that it will bring peace and honour to them. CASE CLOSED!!
Asean was born. Things work out, more or less within Asean. It will be unrealistic to expect it to work PERFECTLY.
3. IF the naming of the naval vessel after the 2 deemed as National Heroes by the Indonesian Government is DUE TO the 'political ploy' during a GE year, it will be unwise for Singapore government to PROTEST too strongly about this issue. Yes. Sentiment is hurt. We voiced our indignation. We have done our part. CASE CLOSED!
Now with the reports of the House supporting the naming. Now with the claims that Singapore air force planes had invaded the Indonesian air space. We KNOW it will be UGLY if both sides persist in this SILLY game.
If we are emotional, we can bite and fight like an English bulldog. At what costs? Loss of face is NOT an issue if you started off with RECOGINISING this is a GAME. We are the BAITS and WE MUST resist being SET UP as the bad guy. This will be wise. This will TAKE a lot of courage and self-assuredness. Leave this farce along.
It is not worth the fight. Seriously.
This is an EMOTIONAL topic; with some analysts saying that it is also heavily coloured by some Indonesian political parties or 'persons' in whipping up nationalism in the coming expected to be heated Presidential Election or General Election year.
Lessons for me are:
1. NO ONE or NOT many Singaporeans, especially the younger ones, knew about the bombing and the ensuring execution of the 2 'national heroes' for carrying out their 'military order' in Singapore when it was still part of Malaya. This was during the 'confrontasi' period. Malaya and Indonesia were at war;
2. this 'act of aggression' against the "Singapore state of Malaya" is one of the VERY rare situations of neighbours in current day Aseans had serious military actions. We NEED to put this incident in perspective and not try to equate it with the Sino-Japan never ending spates about their complex hate-love-love-hate relationship of WWII.
For whatever reasons, the President of THEN Indonesia decided to become hostile to Malaya. He ordered his marines to carry out the bombing. They were caught, tried and executed in Singapore. They were ALSO made 'national heroes' back in Indonesia. Ex-PM Lee closed the episode when he scattered flowers on their grave as their custom dictates that it will bring peace and honour to them. CASE CLOSED!!
Asean was born. Things work out, more or less within Asean. It will be unrealistic to expect it to work PERFECTLY.
3. IF the naming of the naval vessel after the 2 deemed as National Heroes by the Indonesian Government is DUE TO the 'political ploy' during a GE year, it will be unwise for Singapore government to PROTEST too strongly about this issue. Yes. Sentiment is hurt. We voiced our indignation. We have done our part. CASE CLOSED!
Now with the reports of the House supporting the naming. Now with the claims that Singapore air force planes had invaded the Indonesian air space. We KNOW it will be UGLY if both sides persist in this SILLY game.
If we are emotional, we can bite and fight like an English bulldog. At what costs? Loss of face is NOT an issue if you started off with RECOGINISING this is a GAME. We are the BAITS and WE MUST resist being SET UP as the bad guy. This will be wise. This will TAKE a lot of courage and self-assuredness. Leave this farce along.
It is not worth the fight. Seriously.
No comments:
Post a Comment