Indonesia escalates rhetoric toward Singapore amid haze and domestic challenges

Indonesia has stepped up its criticism of Singapore, warning pilgrims to avoid transiting through the city-state and trimming gas supplies, as Jakarta seeks to deflect scrutiny over welfare programmes, market regulation and recurring wildfires that have produced regional haze.

Singapore’s foreign minister visited Jakarta this week and met President Prabowo Subianto, while the city-state summoned representatives of companies suspected of having fires on their Indonesian plantations.

"Differences are to be expected," Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan told reporters, adding that polemic statements sometimes arise.

Syahganda Nainggolan, head of Indonesia’s communications office, said the gas cuts were driven by domestic supply considerations and only coincided with a tense diplomatic moment, emphasizing that the two countries continue to seek close relations.

Analysts note that Jakarta’s nationalist rhetoric has risen as Singapore and Malaysia complained about the haze, and that the intensity of the discourse has increased under the current administration, according to Yohanes Sulaiman of Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani.

The tension follows a broader backdrop of domestic pressure on President Prabowo, whose approval rating has fallen to 44.5% this month from 81.2% a year earlier, and protests have erupted in several Indonesian cities over the government’s response to the fires.

"Indonesia and Singapore's relationship is complementary, not competitive," former Indonesian ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo said, describing the recent remarks as immediate reactions rather than official policy.

Indonesia remains Singapore’s largest source of foreign direct investment, while Singapore provides fuel imports and key internet infrastructure to Indonesia, underscoring the interdependence despite the current diplomatic strain.