Politics · Singapore Bureau
Former Indonesian trade minister urges Singapore to monitor firms holding land concessions
A former Indonesian trade official has called for Singapore to increase scrutiny of Singapore-based companies controlling land concessions in Indonesia. The appeal highlights growing concerns over foreign corporate holdings in the country's resource-rich regions.
LSN Singapore ·
The former Indonesian trade minister has publicly urged Singapore authorities to enhance oversight of Singapore-registered companies that hold extensive land concessions across Indonesia, signalling broader regional tensions over foreign corporate control of natural resources.
The call reflects mounting concerns among Indonesian policymakers about the scale and scope of foreign companies' land holdings, particularly in sectors involving forestry, agriculture, and mineral extraction. Such concessions have long been a point of contention between Jakarta and foreign investors, with questions raised about environmental impact, local community rights, and resource sovereignty.
Singapore-linked companies maintain significant commercial interests across Indonesia's resource sector, with land concessions spanning multiple provinces. The appeal from the former trade official suggests Indonesia may be reconsidering its approach to regulating foreign-controlled concessions and the corporate structures through which they are held.
The matter underscores the delicate balance Southeast Asian nations must maintain between attracting foreign investment and protecting domestic resources and environmental interests. Indonesia has previously tightened regulations on foreign ownership and land use, though enforcement remains challenging across its vast archipelago.
Neither Singapore nor Indonesian authorities have formally responded to the appeal, though the statement is likely to prompt fresh discussions on bilateral investment frameworks and resource management protocols between the two nations.