The Revolution Against Extortion and Corruption: Indonesia’s Only Prerequisite to Win the Singapore Crisis
When our neighbor, Singapore, the small giant we have always admired, begins to reel under a massive storm of mass layoffs (PHK), our response should not merely be one of sympathy. Our eyes must be wide open. Hidden amidst the crisis hitting over 20,000 professionals there—from top bankers to tech experts—lies a golden and rare momentum for Indonesia.
This is the moment to test the fundamental belief of Gerakan Mandiri Bangsa: that true change originates from the people, and that we must reverse the direction of development, shifting from dependency toward self-reliance.
The neighboring economy’s centralistic model, built upon its role as a global trade transit hub, has now proven fragile. They are being tossed about by trade war fluctuations and the global business cycle. So, where does that leave us?
The Gateway to Self-Reliance: Open, Yet Locked
The Singapore crisis presents two historic opportunities to activate our Local Self-Reliance (Kemandirian Lokal) and Decentralization of Power (Desentralisasi Kekuasaan):
Reclaiming the Logistics Role (Physical Movement): For too long, thousands of international container ships have been obligated to transit through Changi. They generate jobs and billions of dollars there. Why do we allow such immense potential to park in a foreign land? Our ports, from Batam to Priok, have the right to become Asia’s new hub. Think about it: if only 1,000 ships diverted their route, our regional economies would boom, invigorating supporting sectors—from clean water supply and hotels to local farmers.
Repatriating Talent & Capital (Intellectual Movement): Thousands of Asia’s finest professionals are now available in Singapore. Concurrently, trillions of rupiah belonging to Indonesians are still ‘parked’ there. This is our chance to recruit, attract capital home, and bring world-class talent to build Indonesian companies and raise their level.
However, this gateway to self-reliance is locked. And the key is in our own hands.
An Enemy More Dangerous Than a Global Recession
This epic opportunity risks being wasted, not because we are technologically inferior, but because we are defeated by the deadliest enemy: The High-Cost Economy.
Why are ships reluctant to dock here? Why are investors unwilling to entrust their funds to us? We already know the answer, and this must be the main focus of our movement:
“Ships are unwilling to dock due to the high-cost economy; because of extortion (palak-memalak) from all kinds of individuals, both uniformed and non-uniformed. Corruption is rampant everywhere. This is what makes us unattractive.”
This is not merely economic statistics; it is a clear manifestation of our elite politics’ failure.
Politics that only appears during campaigns, delivering symbolic promises. Yet, it is completely absent when we confront the substantive enemy: the individuals who exploit and extort initiatives at the grassroots level. Decentralization of power will never succeed if local authority—in ports, and within the bureaucracy—is used to exploit rather than to empower.
Gerakan Mandiri Bangsa: A Revolution from Below
We believe that Indonesia is too large and too diverse to be homogenized from the center. But that greatness and diversity will only become a burden if we do not dare to clear the path below.
The momentum of the Singapore crisis is a call to change the face of democracy from symbolic to substantive. We cannot wait for instructions from Jakarta to eradicate extortion in Batam port or along the Priok logistics routes. We must act.
This is what Gerakan Mandiri Bangsa offers as the single prerequisite for victory:
Initiating the Micro-Integrity Revolution: Every region must be driven by grassroots movements to declare themselves as Extortion and Corruption-Free Zones (ZBPK). This must be an initiative from below, driven by the realization that “Ghost Fees” (Biaya Siluman) are the main obstacle to our self-reliance.
Authentic Public Involvement: We reject the politics of promises. We must build a sustainable network of solidarity and public oversight, ensuring every process—from ship permits to regional spending—is clean and transparent.
Attracting ‘Clean’ Talent Home: Singapore’s best talent will only return if they are convinced they are doing business in an honest ecosystem. Make bureaucratic cleanliness the new magnet for capital and expertise.
Indonesia cannot be built alone. But we can be built together—if we dare to start from the bottom, by discarding the garbage of corruption and extortion that has drowned our potential for so long.
Let us seize this momentum, because victory over the Singapore crisis will only be achieved through a Revolution Against Extortion on our own soil.
