KL cool as S'pore mulls other water sources
KL cool as S'pore mulls other water sources
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia on Saturday reacted coolly to a Singaporean suggestion which seeks to reduce the island's dependence on water piped in from its neighbor.
"That's Singapore's choice. If Singapore says it wants to find other water sources, that's up to Singapore," deputy prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.
Abdullah said Malaysia will not lose anything if neighboring Singapore wants to get its water supply from other sources.
In a policy statement concluding an inaugural debate at Singapore's new parliament which ended Friday, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said the city-state would push ahead with high- technology water processing programs.
Water has been a thorny issue between the two countries which separated bitterly in 1965.
"I do not want our relations with Malaysia to be always strained by this issue," Goh said.
"It prevents us from co-operating in strategic areas of mutual benefit. The long-term interests of our two countries might be better served if we can remove this constant thorn in bilateral relations," he said.
But Abdullah said Malaysia did not intend to prolong any problems between the two countries.
"What's needed is the spirit of cooperation and sincerity between us and all problems can be solved," he said.
Malaysia has accused Singapore of profiteering from cheap water supplied by the state of Johor under agreements dating back to the early 1960s, and is demanding a higher price.
Calling the water issue a "Damocles' sword hanging over our heads," Goh said the disputes had bred mistrust and suspicion and "it may be better for bilateral relations if we start to move a little away from our reliance on Malaysia for water".
Apart from water, other bilateral irritants include use of Malaysian airspace by Singapore's military aircraft and the future of Malaysian-owned railways and real estate in Singapore, which are part of broad negotiations that have been going on for years.
"Malaysia has written to us with their latest proposal on the bilateral package. We shall send them our reply some time next week," Goh said.
Singapore's land reclamation program also cropped up recently as another issue, but the city-state has vowed to go ahead with reclamation works within its territorial waters.
"Protest notes have been sent. If they show that they're unsympathetic, it will hamper our relations," Abdullah added.