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JAKARTA: Observers in Indonesia are cautioning against optimism that an extradition treaty to be signed between Singapore and Indonesia on Friday, will help Jakarta recover millions of dollars of state funds.
Analysts say that the treaty serves only as a mechanism and that it is not a panacea to the country's chronic corruption problem which must first be dealt with domestically.
The extradition treaty will be signed in Bali, together with a Defence Cooperation Agreement which was also welcomed by military observers.
Retired Major General Nur Aman was among the first Indonesian officers who planned joint military exercises for the armies of Singapore and Indonesia back in 1989.
Like thousands of soldiers from both countries, he has benefited from years of close cooperation between the two armed forces.
"From my personal experience I got close to the SAF officers and SAF army. And from that way we can go together in similarity of concept, idea and you can discuss openly - exchange of experience, exchange of knowledge etc. It will be very positive in the way…what we call… confidence building…and become closer to us," says the former Governor, Indonesia's Military Academy.
Indonesia has bilateral defence agreements with a number of countries in the region.
For Singapore, Jakarta provides military training areas within its vast territories - space that the city-state lacks to train its sophisticated armed forces.
Analysts say joint exercises will also reduce the potential of military conflict between the two neighbours.
"It's more important than the others because between Singapore and Indonesia because there is no point of conflict - in the field of military conflict. So the most important thing is the integrity and harmony. The relationship between two armies - two armed forces - could be the priority," continues Nur Aman.
But for most Indonesians, the extradition treaty with Singapore means more than the defence agreement.
It is considered a huge step in the country's anti-corruption drive because many in the country believe Singapore has been a haven for many corrupt Indonesians to hoard their money.
Indonesian prosecutors have already prepared a list of suspects who are believed to be in hiding in Singapore, even though the treaty still needs to be ratified by the Indonesian parliament after it is signed.
Analysts stress that it is just the start of a long drawn out process.
"It's not going to be easy as you come to the implementation process because it has to go through a certain procedure. As you know it will not be implemented unless the parliament ratifies it. So there will be a legal process that will be faced by the government here," says Dr Bantarto Bandoro, analyst, Indonesia's Centre for Strategic and International Studies
For now at least, the extradition treaty has released the pressure somewhat on the Indonesian government, whose raison de'tre post Suharto-era has been to recover squandered state funds believed to be in overseas banks. - CNA/yy
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