Indonesia says relations with Singapore
good
Reuters. February 15, 1999.
INDONESIA on Monday played down the latest tension with its neighbour
Singapore after President B.J. Habibie
accused the island state of racism, saying relations between the two
were good.
"There is no intention in the slightest bit to damage it (the relationship)...Our relations with Singapore are still good," State Secretary Akbar Tandjung told reporters.
Singaporean politicians accused Habibie of trying to stir up ethnic divisons after he contended there were no Malays in Singapore's military.
The island state's pro-government media responded by publishing pictures of Malay officers and data showing increasing numbers of Malay officers in the Singapore military.
Indonesia itself has come under international criticism for violence against its ethnic-Chinese minority in recents months.
Singapore is dominated by Chinese and Indonesia by the Malay race.
Tandjung denied that his country discriminated against Chinese Indonesians.
"In Indonesia there are 117 Indonesian ethnic Chinese who hold middle and high-ranking positions in the army," he said.
Chinese-Indonesians make up five percent of Indonesia's 200 million people but analysts say they control up to 70 percent of the country's economy.