Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Indonesian marines who posed as the MacDonald House bombers at the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue exhibition

In response to press queries on the Indonesian marines who posed as the MacDonald House bombers at the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue exhibition on 19 March 2014, the MFA Spokesman said:

“We are concerned and disappointed over the incident at the Jakarta International Defence Dialogue (JIDD) exhibition in which two Indonesian marines posed as the two Indonesian perpetrators of the MacDonald House bombing that killed three innocent civilians and injured another 33 in Singapore in March 1965. On learning of the incident, the SAF’s delegation at the JIDD withdrew from the event and returned to Singapore. Our officials at the Embassy in Jakarta also spoke with representatives from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and the Indonesian military to express disappointment over the incident, an international event to which Singapore was invited as a guest.

We are also puzzled by comments by Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro who, according to Indonesian media, said that there was “no problem” with the presence of the two marines at the JIDD. As Minister Purnomo would be aware, Singapore’s position on the naming of the Indonesian warship KRI Usman Harun was clearly laid out by Minister (Foreign Affairs) and Minister (Defence) in Parliament on 18 February 2014. The posing of the two marines at the JIDD did not reflect the spirit of Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa’s comments of 11 February 2014 that no ill-will or malice was intended towards Singapore.”

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
20 MARCH 2014