Address by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Balaji Sadasivan at the National Day Reception in Batam, 29 August 2008

His Excellency Bapak Muhammad Sani
Vice-Governor of KEPRI

His Excellency Bapak Nursyafriadi
Head of the KEPRI Parliament

Bapak Ahmad Dahlan
Mayor of Batam

Fellow Singaporeans,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to join all of you this evening in celebration of Singapore's 43rd National Day.

2 Bilateral relations between Singapore and Indonesia are excellent. Singapore and Indonesia share common strategic interests. Our leaders and ministers also know each other well.

3 In particular, Singapore's economic ties with Indonesia have grown from strength-to-strength. In 2007, Singapore was the largest investor in Indonesia with a total of 124 projects worth US$3.75 billion in realised investments. Singapore is Indonesia's second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$66 billion last year, an increase of 5.5% over 2006. We are also each other's most important source of visitors.

4 In many ways, KEPRI epitomises the close economic cooperation between Singapore and Indonesia. Singapore's longstanding economic ties with KEPRI look set to continue with the signing of the Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation in Batam, Bintan and Karimun in 2006. Much progress has been achieved in the establishment of the Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in KEPRI. Recently, Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister Mr Lim Hng Kiang and Indonesia's Trade Minister Ibu Mari Pangestu embarked on a Joint Investment Promotion trip to Japan to promote the FTZs in KEPRI. I understand that the promotion trip attracted a good turnout of businessmen. The challenge is to turn such investor interest into real investments in KEPRI. For this to happen, foreign investors must be confident that their concerns over issues such as labour relations, infrastructure, and legal certainty are taken care off.

5 Singapore will be hosting the inaugural F1 night race next month. By next year, our two Integrated Resorts will also commence operations. These attractions will draw even more tourists to Singapore, and KEPRI's tourism sector will no doubt benefit from the economic spill-over.

6 Relations between Singapore and KEPRI are not just limited to economics. Our people-to-people ties are also growing. In June this year, Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo visited Karimun with 80 members of his constituency. They were warmly received by KEPRI Governor Ismeth Abdullah and the Bupati of Karimun Nurdin Basirun. The Singapore International Foundation (SIF) has also despatched teachers to Batam to share their knowledge of teaching English with the local teachers. Singapore's Alexandra Hospital is separately collaborating with Batam Otorita Hospital on medical education and hospital management, as well as to develop clinical expertise. I will be visiting the Batam Otorita Hospital tomorrow morning, and I look forward to witnessing such cooperation first-hand.

7 I am happy to announce that we will be opening a Consulate in Batam later this year because of our expanding relations with Batam, Bintan and Karimun. I hope that this will elevate bilateral cooperation to an even higher plane.

8 It is difficult to describe the scope and depth of Singapore's relationship with Indonesia and KEPRI in a few words, but let me try to do so in the form of a pantun:

Berbalas pantun merangkai kata
Kata dirangkai berbaris-baris
Singapura dan Kepri tak jauh di mata
Dekat di hati, selalu harmonis

(To compose a pantun you have to arrange the words
It is arranged line by line
Singapore and Kepri are nearby
Close to our hearts and [the relations] always harmonious).

9 I wish you all a very pleasant evening. Thank you.

. . . . .