Badawi says mending fences with Singapore will bring prosperity
Badawi says mending fences with Singapore will bring prosperity
Yeoh En-Lai, Associated Press, Singapore
Malaysia's new prime minister said on Monday after meeting his
Singaporean counterpart that the prickly neighbors would work to
resolve a string of disputes that have hampered relations for
years.
The five-hour visit -- Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's first to the
city-state since replacing veteran Mahathir Mohamad, who retired
in October -- was a "frank, friendly exchange," Singaporean Prime
Minister Goh Chok Tong said at a press conference after their
closed door meeting.
Among the disputes between the two countries are territorial
claims, the price of water that Malaysia supplies to Singapore,
and the use of military airspace.
"We cannot allow these issues to remain unsolved forever and
ever ... It's important for ASEAN," Badawi said, referring to the
10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Media in both countries have said the rise of Badawi -- widely
considered less confrontational than his predecessor -- is likely
to bring a new approach by Malaysia to its relations with small,
but economically powerful Singapore.
"There will be more use of the phones in the future," Goh
said, heralding a new approach to bilateral relations.
The two countries previously discussed bilateral issues as a
package until last year when disputes over land reclamation and a
small strategic islet went to international courts.
Goh said the two countries have agreed to discuss several
issues outside of the package deal to prevent them from becoming
deadlocked. Neither leader would specify which issues.
"We may have to unscramble the package ... Some issues can be
resolved immediately," Badawi said. "We have to think out of the
box, we have to find some other ways, some other strategies to
resolve our issues."
Both countries also agreed to work on joint tourism and
education programs while building links between their home
affairs ministries, which handle internal security and terrorism-
related issues, Badawi said.
Malaysia's Prime Minister was also scheduled to meet with
Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew and President S.R.
Nathan before leaving for Kuala Lumpur.
Despite constant spats, Malaysia and Singapore share close
economic and cultural ties. The two former British colonies were
united in 1963 but split amid bitter political discord two years
later.