Golf boosts Singapore relation with KL
Golf boosts Singapore relation with KL
Agence France-Presse, Singapore
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Singapore's Prime
Minister Goh Chok Tong and their key officials played a round of
golf here on Sunday seen as another sign of warming bilateral
ties.
Despite a slight drizzle, Badawi teamed up with Goh to beat
the pairing of Singapore's Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar and his
Malaysian counterpart Syed Hamid Albar at the Sentosa golf
course.
"We had a good round of golf. You're going to know for the
record that the two prime ministers beat the two foreign
ministers," Goh told reporters.
Badawi, who arrived here on Sunday for a social visit,
described his trip as an "opportunity to socialize and to meet
our friends" in Singapore.
"I really enjoyed very much today playing golf again at this
course and in good company."
The day trip also included an informal lunch between the
officials.
Badawi was accompanied by his newly appointed Deputy Prime
Minister Najib Razak, other top ministers and their spouses.
It was Badawi's second visit to the next-door neighbor in two
weeks since taking over from Mahathir Mohamad in October. His
last visit here was on Jan. 12.
Sunday's visit also came a day after Goh, members of his
cabinet and their spouses traveled to Johor Bahru just across a
causeway to celebrate the Lunar New Year with Badawi and other
Malaysian officials.
Officials said they hoped stronger personal ties would help in
the resolution of a series of long-running disputes that have
soured relations since Singapore was evicted from the Malayan
Federation to become an independent state in 1965.
"It's always good to have this opportunity for informal
interaction to become even more comfortable with each other,"
said Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who met
his counterpart Najib separately.
"I think it helps us deal with the problems, complicated
issues which we have to resolve. And if we have a good working
relationship, it makes a good difference.