TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A video is circulating on Threads [archive], Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube claiming that Singapore has challenged Indonesia to war. The video’s narrative states that this challenge arose after Singapore unilaterally canceled a fuel oil (FO) purchase deal, even though the two countries had already reached an agreement.
The content features Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who is said to be angry over Singapore’s unilateral action.
However, is it true that Prabowo and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia announced that Singapore had issued a war challenge due to the cancellation of the fuel sale?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the content using reverse image search and by tracing credible information via the Google search engine. The results show that Singapore’s cancellation of the fuel oil (BBM) shipment did not trigger a declaration of war between the two countries. The Singaporean company eventually agreed to reship the fuel oil to Indonesia.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia explained the matter during a Plenary Cabinet Meeting on March 13, 2026. Bahlil emphasized that the cancellation of the Singaporean company's oil sale to Pertamina was purely an economic matter. This matter did not escalate to a threat of war between Indonesia and Singapore.
“So, regarding this oil matter, Mr. (Prabowo), the normal rules no longer apply. Because as long as there’s profit, they’ll buy it, since the goods are scarce (fuel),” he said.
Clip 1
The first clip shows Bahlil reading his report at a Plenary Cabinet Meeting at the State Palace on March 13, 2026. The meeting was broadcast live on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel.
Bahlil stated that national fuel stocks were secure ahead of Eid al-Fitr, even though global fuel distribution was impacted by Iran's war against Israel and the United States.
During the meeting, Bahlil also explained the complicated issue surrounding oil purchases from Singapore. Pertamina had initially purchased fuel from there. The Singaporean company had sent two fuel cargo ships, but canceled the sale midway and reversed course.
Indonesia then filed a complaint and threatened legal action. According to Bahlil, this intimidation prompted the Singaporean company to return the oil. Neither Bahlil nor Prabowo mentioned the threat of war at all during the meeting.
Clip 2
The video on social media, at the 40-second mark, shows a clip of a greeting for Merry Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025. The original video was broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel on December 25, 2024.
According to Bloomberg Technoz, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that the volume of crude oil imports with HS code 27090010 throughout 2025 reached 15.99 million tons. This figure increased from the 2024 realization of 15.27 million tons. In 2025, Indonesia recorded the largest imports of fuel from Singapore and Malaysia.
CONCLUSION
Tempo's verification concluded that Singapore's narrative of challenging Indonesia to war by thwarting the sale of two tankers to Pertamina is misleading.
First, the purchase targeted the oil commodity, not the vessels. Second, the cancellation was purely economic-motivated due to the surge in oil prices or the seller finding another buyer with a higher offer.
TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM
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