SINGAPORE — Singapore neither claims Pulau Manis nor contests Indonesia’s sovereignty over it, said a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesman last night, after Indonesian politicians were quoted in media reports suggesting that Singapore was claiming the cluster of six small islands near Batam.

The issue even led to the Indonesian military planting the country’s flag on the island to assert its sovereignty, according to one Indonesian news report.

“We are deeply puzzled by these reports. Singapore has never disputed Indonesia’s sovereignty over Pulau Manis and does not lay claim to the island,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Pulau Manis — now known as Funtasy Island — is being developed into what has been billed as the world’s largest eco-park resort after being acquired by Batam-based developer PT Batam Island Marina 20 years ago.

The 328-hectare development featuring dolphin lagoon villas, a theme park and beach club will be accessible only via ferry service from Singapore — some 16km away — its developer Funtasy Island Development said last year.

According to Indonesian media reports, the issue of Singapore’s alleged claim on Pulau Manis emerged after a map on Funtasy Island’s website showed Singapore and the island in the same colour: Blue.

Vice-chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly of Indonesia, Dr Hidayat Nur Wahid, was then quoted as in a Metro Siantar report on Monday as saying that Pulau Manis is being claimed by “other parties” in an “unpleasant way”, referring to Singapore.

In the report, the politician from Indonesia’s Prosperous Justice Party said Singapore must be told that it had no right to claim the island, as it was clearly part of Indonesia, as he expressed surprise at the suddenness of the alleged claim, especially given the good diplomatic relations between both countries.

He also warned that if Indonesia did not protect its territories, it would see a repeat of the Sipadan and Ligitan incident, referring to the two islands in the Celebes Sea that were awarded to Malaysia in 2002 after the territorial dispute was heard before the Permanent Court of International Justice.

When asked about the issue, Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla was quoted by Tribunnews as saying that he was unaware of the alleged claim, adding that he did not believe that Singapore was brave enough to claim Indonesian territory. 

“It’s not possible … (and) won’t be so easy to claim,” Mr Kalla was quoted as saying. “(But) if it is the case that our island is being claimed … we must protest.”

The Speaker of Indonesia’s House of Representatives, Dr Ade Komarudin, also weighed in on the issue.

“I think the Foreign Ministry clearly should be proactive, and the Defence Ministry, the military and Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs should coordinate well (on this issue),” he was quoted as saying by BeritaSatu on Tuesday.

Another report in Batampos on Tuesday said that the Indonesian military had decided to place an Indonesian flag on the “highest hill” on Funtasy Island to make it clear that the island was part of Indonesia. The flag was up on Monday. The report also carried a photo showing several Indonesian soldiers with Indonesian flags on the island.

A check of the Funtasy Island website last night showed that the colour of the project on the map has been changed to red, while Singapore was still represented in blue.