MHA warns against political campaigning, fundraising in Singapore for Indonesia's presidential election
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is aware of claims that there are funds in Singapore to support candidates in Indonesia's presidential election.
Officials distribute voter materials, including unassembled ballot boxes and voting booths, at a district-level distribution centre in Jakarta on Dec 15, 2023, ahead of the February 2024 Indonesian general election. (Photo: AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday (Jan 4) warned against political campaigning or fundraising in Singapore for Indonesia's presidential election.
The ministry said it was aware of recent allegations circulating online that Singapore might be used as a platform for Indonesia's upcoming election.Â
These include claims that there are funds in Singapore meant to support certain candidates.
More than 204 million Indonesians will cast their votes on Feb 14 for a new president and vice-president, as well as members of its national, regional and city-level parliaments.
The presidential candidates are former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto.
MHA said the Singapore government takes a "clear and strong stand against the importation of politics of other countries into Singapore".
"Persons visiting, working or living in Singapore should not use Singapore to conduct political campaigning or fundraising to further a political agenda overseas," added the ministry.
"We will deal firmly with any individual or group found to be doing so, including termination of immigration facilities."
In a YouTube video posted in November 2023 by former head of Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Abraham Samad, it was alleged that Singapore was among three countries jostling to seek influence in Indonesia's election. The other two countries are supposedly the United States and China.
The video, which has been viewed more than 2 million times, shows Mr Abraham interviewing businessman and geopolitical analyst Mardigu Wowiek Prasantyo.
The two men claimed there was money in Singapore for "certain candidate pairs", and that the money may be from "foreigners or oligarchs". They did not name the candidates.
Last month, Indonesia’s financial intelligence government agency said it had found suspicious transactions involving trillions of rupiah related to the upcoming legislative elections.
The transactions implicate thousands of individuals with “various political affiliates”, said the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).
"We have observed irregularities that signal potential illicit payments,” PPATK head Ivan Yustiavandana told Indonesian media outlets.
“We are talking trillions, we are talking very large numbers, we are talking thousands of names, we are talking about all political parties.”
It did not name any candidates involved but said the investigation was into the accounts of people listed as registered legislative candidates.
Additional reporting by Kiki Siregar.
