ABSTRACT
Indonesian political stability and leadership are crucial to the maintenance of a stable environment in Southeast Asia. This observation is as much a function of Indonesia's overwhelming physical and demographic presence in the region as is the country's perceived proprietary claim to regional political leadership. Singapore's bilateral relations with Indonesia suffer from a historical overhang. The bilateral defence relationship between Singapore and Indonesia is not as complicated as that between Singapore and Malaysia, albeit Singapore's deterrence posture which is aimed at the immediate regional environment naturally factors the possibility of military hostilities with Indonesia. Bilateral defence cooperation is naturally subject to internal political calm in Indonesia, since the outbreaks of ethno-religious violence in places like Ambon, Maluku and Kalimantan often stretch the resources of the military. Indonesia was undergoing all this political turmoil and uncertainty, its bilateral relationship with Singapore was a natural casualty. The most important variable governing political and security issues in the bilateral relationship is leadership.
