‘People of Malaysia and Singapore, I DARE U!!!’ — Indonesian man challenges: ‘Why not boycott Indonesian resources you rely on?’

INDONESIA: An Indonesian man has challenged Malaysians and Singaporeans to boycott Indonesian resources, prompting netizen pushback on Threads over trade, national pride and respect between neighbours.

In a post dated Oct 25, the man urged both countries to prove they could thrive without Indonesia’s resources. “Come on, people of Malaysia and Singapore. I DARE U!!!” the Indonesian man’s post began, adding, “Why not boycott the Indonesian resources you rely on? Aren’t you both ‘great’ nations?”

The man went on to challenge both countries further. “Go ahead and prove your greatness by showing that you can thrive without Indonesia’s resources, but if you end up needing them after all, that’s fine; just ask us nicely.”

He ended his post by saying, “There’s no need to act like you’re superior. We Indonesians are easy to forgive but not easy to forget 😊.”

The post had attracted 222,000 views and 1,600 replies. The remarks struck a nerve with commenters who questioned the idea that buying another country's goods amounted to receiving a favour.

Commenters say trade works both ways

One commenter pointed out that countries buying imports are customers who pay for goods, while exporters earn money from those sales.

The same commenter said buyers could turn to other suppliers if suitable alternatives were available. Having natural resources, he added, didn't automatically give a country control over the market.

Another commenter argued that Indonesia wasn't the only source of oil and gas. She also called for neighbouring countries to support one another and raised concerns about haze affecting nearby countries.

However, the original post shown in the report didn't explain what prompted the challenge, so the link between the remarks and haze is unclear.

Fellow Indonesian rejects his remarks

The criticism also came from within Indonesia. A woman who identified herself as Indonesian objected to the man's use of “we Indonesians,” saying that she didn't share his views.

She expressed no hostility towards Malaysians or Singaporeans and described them as brothers and sisters.

The man responded to some criticism with laughing emojis. When another commenter raised accountability, he dismissed the remarks with a string of “bla, bla, bla” responses.

Neighbours deserve respect, not trade challenges

Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia have close economic ties, making cross-border trade part of everyday life across the region.

Countries can take pride in their resources, but trade works through buyers and sellers who both have something to gain. Suppliers need markets, while buyers need reliable goods at fair prices.

The sensible approach is to respect neighbouring countries, discuss genuine concerns with facts, and leave national pride out of attempts to belittle others.

Some original quotes have been minimally edited for brevity and clarity