JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR — Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said yesterday that his Foreign Minister would summon the Ambassadors of Singapore and South Korea over media reports that their governments had helped the United States and Australia in spying on other countries.

Mr Yudhoyono noted that the allegations that Singapore and South Korea were helping the US and Australia tap undersea telecommunications in Asia did not specifically mention Indonesia.

Still, he had instructed Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa “to ask for an explanation” from the envoys of the two countries, the Indonesian President told reporters at his office.

Mr Yudhoyono’s remarks came hours after Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mr Ong Keng Yong, met Mr Othman Hashim, Secretary-General of Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, in Kuala Lumpur to clarify allegations that Singapore had spied on Malaysia.

Mr Ong was summoned after fresh media reports surfaced, alleging that Singapore had aided an intelligence group in spying on Malaysia.

He told Channel NewsAsia that he was unable to comment on the allegations because he did not have any specific information, adding that he had informed the relevant agencies in Singapore of the media reports.

Mr Ong also took the opportunity to reaffirm that Singapore values good relations with Malaysia and that both countries have an excellent bilateral relationship and cooperate closely on many matters of common interest. He said Singapore has no interest in doing anything that might harm its partners or the friendship between the two countries.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not reply to queries on media reports of the alleged spying as well as Mr Ong’s meeting with Mr Othman by press time.

In a report on Monday, the Sydney Morning Herald said Singapore and South Korea were playing key roles in a “Five Eyes” intelligence network involving the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

The report quoted a top-secret US National Security Agency map that the Herald said was published by Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad.

As a major hub for regional telecommunications traffic, Singapore was an important link in the surveillance network, the Herald said.

In a statement before his meeting with Mr Ong, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said: “It cannot be over-emphasised that spying on a good friend and neighbour is unacceptable and goes against the true spirit of and commitment to good neighbourly relations.”

“If those allegations are eventually proven, it is certainly a serious matter,” said Mr Anifah, who had already summoned the heads of the US and Australian missions earlier this month in protest over reports that a vast US-led surveillance network included a listening post in its Kuala Lumpur Embassy.

His colleague, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Malaysia is ready to share any relevant intelligence with its neighbour and there is no need for Singapore to spy on the country.

“In principle, no other country should be trying to obtain the secrets of another nation,” Mr Ahmad Zahid said at a ministry function.

“But we are ready to share the information if the intelligence concerns these countries, so they should respect us as a neighbouring country,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Parliament yesterday shot down a motion to condemn the US, Australia and Singapore for allegedly spying on Malaysia, citing non-urgency on the matter.

Parliamentary Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia rejected the motion by Mr Shamsul Iskandar Akin, a Parti Keadilan Rakyat lawmaker, saying that the Foreign Affairs Ministry had taken appropriate action, including calling the American Ambassador and Australian High Commissioner. It had also submitted protest notes to the two representatives to express Malaysia’s displeasure.

“Both have forwarded the protest notes to their respective governments. This shows the government has taken action and, as such, the motion is not urgent,” said Mr Pandikar, who stood firm despite appeals from several opposition lawmakers. AGENCIES