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.