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Singapore's interests in Riau Islands election high
Civil society in Riau Islands province has been warned about the interests of neighboring Singapore in the provinceâs gubernatorial election, considering the big investment the country has and the importance it places on security and political stability in the region, an academician has said
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ivil society in Riau Islands province has been warned about the interests of neighboring Singapore in the province's gubernatorial election, considering the big investment the country has and the importance it places on security and political stability in the region, an academician has said.
Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, Tanjung Pinang Social and Political Sciences College (Stisipol) chairman Zamzami A Karim said that such big interests would attract Singapore's involvement both directly and indirectly in the political process in the province.
'We hope that civil society will directly monitor [the election] so that foreign interests will not go deep into the local political system. We call on them to monitor the movements of the emerging gubernatorial candidates,' Zamzami said.
Riau Islands' gubernatorial election is scheduled for July next year.
Zamzami said that security has been a concern for Singapore, whose investments are spread across Riau Islands' three regions of Batam, Bintan and Karimun, as the country borders the province.
According to Zamzami, since the province was established and regional elections were first conducted in 2005, Singaporean investors' support for particular gubernatorial candidates has been obvious in their bids to secure their investments in the region.
Zamzami also said that Singapore's attention to the province was clearly evident during a visit from the country's Foreign Affairs Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who joined celebrations for Singapore's Independence in Batam. He directly named a candidate ' Deputy Governor Soerya Respationo.
Separately, economic observer Suyono Saputra of Batam said that Singapore's economic interests made it normal for the country to also be aware of the political situation in the province.
'As investors, it's normal, especially in this era of regional autonomy in which regional administrations have greater authority than the central government. What we need to monitor is not letting foreign investors disturb our political freedom,' he said.
