Transcript of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Doorstop Interview in Dili with Singapore Media, 26 July

Minister Vivian Balakrishnan: It has been a very hectic four days for my first visit to Timor-Leste but a very fulfilling period of time. This is a place with land that is 20 times bigger than Singapore, a population one quarter of Singapore, but as you can see, lots of land, mountains, sunshine, the ocean, and lots of young people. So this is a place of great potential. But this is also a place that had a very difficult birth. As a young nation in Southeast Asia, and as a country that intends to join ASEAN, this is a time of great opportunity and challenge. I think it was a very fortuitous time to be here.

Let me say a few things in three areas. I want to talk about the bilateral relations, economics and people. First, on bilateral relations. President Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão actually are old friends of Singapore. They know Prime Minister Lee very well. They both reminded me repeatedly that in fact, Singapore stood with Timor-Leste in their most difficult period. And from 1999 to 2012, we probably had a deployment of more than a thousand Singaporeans – armed forces, police force, civilians, administrators – who helped them during their very difficult transition, the restoration of their independence. They all remember it. They remember it, and they remind us of how Singapore stood with Timor-Leste, of how Singapore supported the people and the fledgling government.

We have a significant reservoir of goodwill, trust, and political capital with their government. Their focus right now in their new government, which brings together many of the key independence leaders of Timor-Leste, is another very significant phase of their political history. This is a time in the next five years, for this government to come up with a coherent, conducive, ambitious, and practical plan to let Timor-Leste take off. Of course, they are also keen on membership of ASEAN. But the key thing is the development within Timor-Leste itself. As I have said, they look to Singapore with fondness, with trust, and they hope especially that we will help them with capacity development. So that is one key aspect that we are working on.

When President Ramos-Horta came to Singapore for (his) State Visit last year, we launched the Singapore-Timor-Leste ASEAN Readiness Support (STARS) package for them. This is capacity-building to help their bureaucrats and civil servants prepare for this arduous process of ASEAN ascension. We sent a team here earlier in April to help them with what you may think as routine ASEAN preparation but are new skillsets for them. Over the years, we have also had more than 800 Timor-Leste civil servants come to Singapore to learn, exchange ideas, see how we do it, adapt those ideas, and apply them in the Timor-Leste circumstances. So that is ongoing. We know we can still help them, we support them, and we will continue to help build up their capacity both at the national level as they develop their country, and also as they seek to join ASEAN as a contributing, constructive member standing on their own feet.

The next point I want to focus on is economics. During the course of my visit here, I met two consortiums – Pelican Paradise Holdings and also A-Smart Holdings. Pelican Paradise is trying to develop an integrated resort. In fact, this plan has been in the offing for 14 years. The entrepreneur behind it has not given up. He is determined to get this done. Similarly, with A-Smart Holdings, they are trying to develop an office and residential and commercial complex in the town itself. I think the interests of our Singapore entrepreneurs here (and) industries is that they also recognise that this place has got great economic potential, because they have people, especially young people, mountains, sunshine, and natural resources – things which we do not have in Singapore. Their plan is to capitalise on these natural resources and use it to help transform opportunities for the next generation. So, I remain optimistic that they will achieve economic lift-off at some point. It is a vote of confidence with the capital that they are bringing here. There are other elements of the economy like tourism, offices, and other possibilities to be opened here. So that is on the economic front.

The other thing which really warmed my heart was to see Singaporeans who are here out of the goodness of their hearts. For instance, Maluk Timor and in particular, two doctors Dr Lois Hong and her husband Dr Natarajan Rajaraman who are working in partnership with the local health authorities here to uplift healthcare, especially for children, women, and primary healthcare, which is so essential. Timor-Leste has made significant progress in healthcare over the last 20 years, but there is still much more that can and should be done. To see our Singaporeans participating in this partnership with the local authorities –it will make a real difference. Do not forget that improving the healthcare of young people, babies and children has a profound impact on the next generation of citizens of Timor-Leste.

Similarly, this morning, we visited St. Paul's Methodist school, started again by Singaporeans David Chan and Jessie Chan. This has rapidly become one of the largest schools in Dili. I think they already have about 700 students. You saw the other building coming up, which will add additional facilities and improve education. These are Singaporeans with a sense of mission, out of the goodness of their hearts, working in partnership, raising local teachers, enhancing education opportunities for the children and young adults of Timor-Leste. These I believe are seeds that will provide the opportunities for the generations to come.

So it was very heart-warming to see Singaporeans, both on the economic side, and on the voluntary welfare side, working on education and helping out. So, all in all, it has been a very satisfying (and) fulfilling trip to watch a fledgling nation trying to get on its feet, to take its place in ASEAN and in the world at large.  To see how opportunities can be expanded and be amplified for their young people. To see how Singaporeans, both on the business and on the voluntary welfare side, can play such a germinal role in this transformation. I am hopeful that you will see much more progress for this country, and of course, in our relations at the bilateral level and at the regional level.

Lianhe Zaobao: I would like to ask, based on the visits and meetings that you had, what are the specific areas that Timor-Leste and Singapore can work more on? And what are the next steps after this visit?

Minister: First is on capacity building, which I mentioned just now. We have had more than 800 of their civil servants spend time with us in Singapore; we have sent a team (to Timor-Leste) and we will continue to send teams and to invite them over (to Singapore). So, expect to see more exchanges of staff and mutual learning opportunities. So that is one on capacity.

Clearly, they are also interested in bringing in foreign investments. That is why the role of Singapore here is also critical. Each successful project that takes off is an advertisement of its own, and I think it will attract even more foreign investments. That is on the economic side.

On the education and healthcare side, apart from the work of our VWOs (Voluntary Welfare Organisations), I have also said that they are welcome to come to Singapore. You cannot copy and paste the Singapore system here, but there are mutual lessons that we can learn from each other. I would expect that some of those ideas will be transplanted, modified, and applied here. So, there is quite a fertile area for us to work together and to support them, and to enhance opportunities, especially for young people.

Channel NewsAsia: Minister, based on your observations and conversations over the past couple of days, do you think Timor-Leste is poised to become a full member of ASEAN, and a constructive one? And also, how does Singapore’s support for Timor-Leste benefit Singapore?

Minister: I would say based on my direct conversations with all the leaders, they want to join us. They see it as part of their journey of national development for them to take their rightful place in the regional architecture of ASEAN and the world. So, there is no question about their commitment (and) their desire. Now, having said that, they are also realistic, and they know that it is not a simple process. For instance, there are 66 economic agreements alone, which Timor-Leste will have to sign on to, and there are responsibilities (and) liabilities that come with signing on these agreements.

Our attitude is to uplift their capacity (and) enhance their ability to fulfill all the obligations that Timor-Leste will have to undertake as part of the ASEAN (accession) process. I think the journey, the roadmap, is more important than the exact timeline or the exact date on which the formalities are reached. In any case, the Foreign Minister of Timor-Leste (Bendito dos Santos Frietas) is already attending all our ASEAN meetings. All the notes, all the documents of ASEAN meetings are open and available to Timor-Leste. In a way, this is part of a transition. But on Singapore’s side, we are committed to helping them achieve this. That's why we have been focusing on capacity building, helping them get their economy jumpstarted and giving opportunities to the young people. This is the right way to go. So, watch this space, there will be a lot more work.

Lianhe Zaobao: You mentioned the STARS package. I was wondering whether you can share more about whether there are any updates, or how many people are trained thus far, and whether there are other plans to build their capacity?

Minister: Even before the STARS Package, they sent more than 800 Timorese officials to Singapore. Since we have launched the STARS Package, we have sent a team. We sent our ASEAN Directorate to exchange notes with them on how we take notes, how to take records of meetings, how to translate decisions into action plans and how we put up reports.  We will be inviting more of them to spend time with us. Of course, every time we meet either bilaterally or at the regional meetings, it is another opportunity to exchange notes. So, you will see a very intensive programme of interaction.

Mothership: What are the areas of economic opportunities in Timor-Leste that you think Singapore companies should take a closer look at?

Minister: There are many opportunities here. As I said, young population, land, agriculture, tourism are economic opportunities, and of course, the biggest economic opportunity I would say in the next couple of decades is their oil and gas, Greater Sunrise. So, this is a country which if you think about, in fact, has advantages that Singapore never had. But in the long run, just like Singapore, it is about a hardworking, disciplined population, ambitious, hungry for success, and the ability to organise the system. Education, skills training, and equipping people with the necessary skills for the future. They have had a much more difficult journey than we had 58 years ago. As I said, you cannot copy and paste the government journey that Singapore had, but in their own way they have to take advantage of their own advantages. The key is really uplifting the health and education skills of their young people. This is the most critical objective, which the government here has, and from my conversations with them, they all recognise that, so we will support them, and their people deserve our support.

For Singapore, Timor-Leste will be another member of ASEAN. This will be another frontier for our companies, investing to provide opportunities for young Singaporeans who care about others and care about opportunities for others in our region. I hope more will follow in the footsteps of people like Lois Hong, Rajaraman, David and Jessie Chan. Whatever their interests are, I think Singaporeans, especially young Singaporeans, can make a difference, working with young people from Timor-Leste.

The Straits Times: What are some of your observations about the Singaporean community in Timor-Leste? For Singaporean businesses and professionals who intend to move to Timor-Leste? What kind of help can they receive from the new embassy?

Minister: If you look at just the Singaporeans who I met in the last four days, you meet patient entrepreneurs who believe in this space but who have sometimes waited for a very long time before they can harvest the seeds that they have planted. So that is one. Next, if you look, as I mentioned, at the examples of healthcare and education, usually just starting out of the goodness of their hearts. But knowing that if you really want to make a sustainable long-term difference, you cannot just be confined to a voluntary welfare organization. You need to help catalyse systemic changes in their own local systems and infrastructure. But always, always bear in mind (that) ultimately, responsibility for a country lies with its people and its leaders. You can help to be the midwife. But you are not the parent, and we are not their baby. So it is that kind of attitude, respecting them as people who have had a very difficult journey and as people who deserve our support. We work in partnership. In a way I think Singapore is more welcome here because we are small, and they have enough experience with us to look into our hearts and know that we are well-meaning people.  We are pragmatic and   realistic people. So, I think that there are opportunities, both economic opportunities as well as welfare and the voluntary appeal for Singaporeans to make a difference.

We are going to establish an embassy here. They are very happy to welcome us. The purpose of the embassy will be to have diplomatic presence on the ground, which will also act as a focal point for Singaporean businesses and Singapore Citizens who are working, living, and investing here. The government can also better support them and provide consular assistance. I expect that in time, there will be more tourists coming here. Singaporean tourists are intrepid tourists so we go all over the place.  So, we will need to have a presence on the ground. We flew in on Air Timor. It is only three hours away from Singapore, although the timing may be a bit of a challenge. Currently, we have two (direct) flights a week, but I would expect that in the future, the frequency will increase. I do expect to see more Singaporeans in Timor-Leste.

Photo Caption: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Doorstop Interview in Dili with Singapore Media, 26 July 2023

Photo Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore