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Malaysia-Singapore Ties: We Give And They Take

If the Malaysian deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had planned to visit Singapore, as he did last week, why did Utusan Malaysia create an irrelevant bilateral spat just before over how Singapore treats its Malay minority? But it showed yet again how Malaysia shoots itself in the foot when it has the edge. Malaysian newspapers raised the ante in this irrelevant debate, Singapore reacted in heat, a truce was called, Singapore sends a deputy minister to smooth the ruffled feathers in Kuala Lumpur. Shortly after, Dato' Seri Abdullah takes a large delegation to Singapore, gives up the Malayan Railways terminal in Tanjung Pagar, which caused another severe flap a few years ago, have it cited in Kranji and gave up its firmly stated stance that all bilateral issues would be discussed once and for all under a comprehensive bilateral arrangement. We are still not told what would now happen to the Tanjong Pagar land.

Dato' Seri Abdullah's visit is a subtle political manouevre to push him as the natural successor to the Prime Minister, the endgame of whose rule has begun. He is seen playing golf, the reporting suggesting, as the New Straits Times did, "Abdullah's visit has helped to provide that starting point for better understanding and re-establishing close co-operation that is mutually beneficial." Starting point? Really? Do we start to get to mend ties with Singapore with each change of leader? He is not a stranger to Singapore. He can pick up the phone to sort out routine problems. So, why did he take a big delegation last week, which showed Malaysia in a bad light. Singapore does not restart mending ties with each new prime minister. Malaysia, with its instant ill-thought-out fixes, will always be the loser.

Nothing is sorted out except that we gave up without explanation the Tanjung Pagar terminal and have it cited at Kranji. The other outstanding issues, if they had been discussed, we do not know what is the outcome. And we are led to believe that all this was completed in a 45-minute talk with the Singapore prime minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong. Gratuitous comments on both sides do not resove the underlying tension that dominates bilateral ties. The New Straits Times quotes a Malay Singapore parliamentary secretary for how significant this visit was. That is the official Singapore view she wants to tell Malaysia. There is a unity of purpose at all levels of the administration. That is why a mere deputy minister, not a Malay cabinet minister, came to Malaysia to put the matter at rest. In return we send with Dato' Abdullah three cabinet ministers, five chief ministers, one parliamentary secretary and a gaggle of key officials. That one man from Singapore held his ground while this large Malaysian delegation did not.

The Malaysian government is split asunder from within, and cannot take decisions, especially with foreign countries, without harming the country's interest. The Abdullah visit has. What he intended to achieve by the visit was not thought through, while what Singapore wanted to tell Malaysia was. The foreign minister, Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar, pontificated about neighbours sharing a common history and past, and how unresolved bilateral issues had soured the relationship. The visit did not resolve these issues, either individually or collectively. Since we now negotiate from weakness, bilateral amity would come only with further surrenders. No amount of expressions of good faith or common historial past can change that.

M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my