A Open Letter to Prime Minister of Singapore

YAYASAN PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA

Special Consultative Status in ECOSOC United Nations- Puri Kemayoran THB2, Jalan Landas Pacu Selatan 6- Jakarta Pusat - Indonesia 

H.E Lawrence Wong

The Prime Minister of Singapore

Prime Minister's Office - Orchard Road
Istana
Singapore 238823


Your Excellency

We write to you today as citizens of a neighboring country Indonesia that has maintained a good and friendly relationship with Singapore, since Singapore was born as a sovereign state in 1963.

Our two countries, Indonesia and Singapore, are bound together as ASEAN members which are committed to operating based on consensus between the governments of ASEAN member countries, where we firmly believe that Singapore is at the forefront in law enforcement and human rights.

We remember and uphold our respect and admiration for Singapore's first Prime Minister, the late Lee Kuan Yew, as a leading political figure in the region with extraordinary achievements, welcomed with open doors by any government in the world including Indonesia as the closest neighboring country. We remember with gratitude his very friendly attitude towards Indonesia during his tenure as Prime Minister until the end of his life. And we are sure that all Singapore Prime Ministers are true statesmen like him, including Prime Minister H.E. Lawrence Wong.

Your Excellency, several years ago one of the companies operating in the education sector was called European Computer Driving License (ECDL), then for services to citizens of Asia, including Singapore and Indonesia, it changed its name to International Computer Driving License (ICDL), and is headquartered in the region. Singapore law, precisely at 50 Raffles Place, Level 19, Singapore Land Tower. Tel: +65 6631 2809.

Shortly after the founding of ECDL in 2003, we, the Yayasan Pendidikan Indonesia, have established a relationship to promote this innovative institution. In the same year, we implemented a certification training program at one of the major educational institutions in Indonesia, which ran smoothly and was very beneficial for students in linking the bridging digital divide. Several years later we were appointed as ICDL representatives in Indonesia and were allowed to promote the program in Timor Leste.

As representative we have made every effort to promote this relatively new program to public and private schools under the ministry of religion affairs and the ministry of national education. We have even succeeded in strengthening trust in the two ministries mentioned above to accredit thousands of schools all over Indonesia. including accredited Dili University in Timor Leste with the approval of the Prime Minister of Timor Leste at that time H.E. Xanana Kayrala Gusmao. 

Everything we did was done at our own expenses, every school that was accredited as an ICDL center paid a certain agreed nominal amount, we even paid in advance a certain amount of funds which are converted to ICDL modules, where the prepayment funds are deducted when we use a number of modules. to be used as training material by the existing ICDL Test Center in Indonesia and Timor Leste.

It is very unfortunate that, in the midst of serious efforts to promote ICDL Concept in Indonesia and continuing to approach the large number of ICDL Accredited Centers, ICDL, which has its head office in Dublin and was followed by the ICDL office in Singapore, has terminated its relationship unilaterally, and since then that we are no longer Representatives. However, the funds that we have not used (deposit), have not been returned at all, the amount of which is quite sufficient for the purposes of community efforts as Special Consultative Status in ECOSOC United Nations. (would you please take a look at the attachment).On the basis of the brief description above, we, the Indonesian Education Foundation, ask the Prime Minister of Singapore, H.E. Lawrence Wong, to order the relevant agencies to contact ICDL Asia, whose head office is in the territory of the Republic of Singapore, with the aim of making ICDL Asia commit to what is stated. It has become its obligation as stated in this letter, so that this Entity not for Commercial complies with the laws in force in Singapore.

Based on the brief description above, we, the Indonesian Education Foundation (Yayasan Pendidikan Indonesia) , sincerely hope to the Prime Minister of Singapore, H.E. Lawrence Wong, to order the relevant agencies to contact ICDL Asia, which is headquartered in the Republic of Singapore, with the aim of getting ICDL Asia to commit to this matter. It is its obligation as stated in this letter,that this Non-Commercial Entity complies with the applicable laws and regulations in Singapore.

This letter is sufficient if ICDL returns unused funds, which have been used for more than 10 years. However, we will file a legal complaint against ICDL Asia in the Singapore Court, if the ICDL Asia does not heed these steps.

Finally thank you very much for your great attention, God bless Singapore and God bless you and yours

Jakarta : 22 August 2024

Sincerely Yours

Dr.Datuk Agung Sidayu, MBA

Chairman of Yayasan Pendidikan Indonesia

CC :

1.     Singapore Police Force
Police Headquarters- New Phoenix Park 28 Irrawaddy Road
Singapore 329560

2.     Ministry of Law Services Centre
45 Maxwell Road
#07-11 The URA Centre (East Wing)
Singapore 069118

3.     Embassy of Ireland in Singapore, 18 Cross Street
#13-04 Singapore 048423