Question:
*3. Mr Chiam See Tong: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs in view of Indonesia's willingness to lease one of its islands to a private Australian company for use as a tourist resort, whether the Singapore Government will approach Indonesia to enquire if it will be willing to lease one of its 17,000 vacant islands to Singapore to develop it for mutual benefit.
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Reply:
Mr Speaker Sir,
1 We are not in a position to comment on Indonesia's willingness to lease their islands to private companies. The Singapore government has no plans to lease any islands from Indonesia.
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TRANSCRIPT OF MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS GEORGE YEO'S REPLY TO THE SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS ON INDONESIA, 23 NOVEMBER 2009
MP Chiam See Tong: What are the stumbling blocks (inaudible) to Singapore securing an arrangement (inaudible)?
Reply:
1 By leasing, I believe Mr Chiam is referring to the leasing of sovereignty, not just the leasing of land use?
MP Chiam See Tong: No, not sovereignty (inaudible) but the securing of commercial transactions.
Reply:
2 In that case it is not a problem. There are commercial agreements between the Indonesian government and provinces with Singapore legal entities and that's fine. The Singapore government is not involved in that.
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