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.