Singapore and Indonesia have a shared history dating beyond the ancient kingdoms of the Majapahit era and, today, their fates are still closely intertwined, with close economic cooperation a key plank in regional prosperity.

As the two Asean nations mark 50 years of diplomatic ties next month, questions remain over how the relationship will evolve in the next half-century.

“We are not competitors. Both countries should synergise political, economic and security cooperation, leveraging on each other’s strength,” said associate professor Leonard Sebastian, coordinator of the Indonesia programme at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

He said the two neighbours need to understand each other better. “We must find ways to address this perception gap. Otherwise, we will never be able to maximise the potential evident in the bilateral relationship,” he added.