How Indonesia Looks at Singapore's Success
Overview
- Indonesia admires Singapore's rapid development and aims to emulate its innovative strategies.
- Prabowo openly adopts Singapore’s housing, investment, and governance models, inspired by its impressive progress.
- Nevertheless, Indonesia's trajectory toward true success requires transformative reforms beyond just policy copying.
Celebrating Singapore’s Remarkable Transformation
During his recent visit to Singapore, President Prabowo didn’t just praise its economy; he expressed heartfelt admiration for a nation that, from a modest port city, blossomed into a global powerhouse. He proudly declared that he ‘copied with pride’ their housing programs, which have beautifully transformed urban living, and their investment policies that have lured billions into the economy. His words reveal a deep longing—Indonesia aspires to a similar leap in development. This admiration isn’t superficial; it embodies a sincere belief that disciplined leadership, visionary planning, and back-breaking reforms are the keys to such extraordinary success.
Leadership and Innovation—The Pillars of Singapore’s Success
The legacy of Lee Kuan Yew shines brightly in Singapore’s impressive landscape—an example of strategic governance, meritocracy, and relentless anti-corruption efforts. Prabowo’s admiration underscores the fact that these elements are the true engines of Singapore’s prosperity. For instance, Singapore’s public housing, managed through a rigorous, transparent system, has proudly lifted an entire generation of citizens into a better quality of life. Likewise, Singapore’s open but tightly regulated business environment has attracted multinationals from around the world. Yet, Indonesia faces a challenge—adopting such policies is one thing, but cultivating the same culture of integrity, discipline, and long-term vision requires nurturing indigenous leadership and reforming deeply ingrained systems, which is much more complex than just copying policies.
Why Imitating Policies Alone Won’t Achieve Aspirations—Fundamental Reforms Are Essential
While copying Singapore’s policies seems like a shortcut to fast development, expert opinions remind us that simple imitation is insufficient—especially in Indonesia’s context, where issues like corruption, weak institutions, and social inequalities persist. For example, Singapore’s success was built over decades through unwavering commitment to good governance, education excellence, and social cohesion. Indonesia, on the other hand, must confront these deep-rooted issues head-on; otherwise, efforts to implement policies could merely be cosmetic. Achieving Singapore’s level of prosperity demands profound reform—overhauling governance practices, strengthening institutions, fostering a culture of integrity, and building leadership that can sustain growth. These are no small tasks; they require unwavering dedication, bold reforms, and an unshakeable will to transform Indonesia’s socio-political fabric—an ambitious, yet essential, journey toward enduring success.
References
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