Mahathir defends media campaign against S'pore

Mahathir defends media campaign against S'pore

Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday brushed off neighboring Singapore's protest over his government's scathing media campaign accusing the city-state of spreading misconceptions about a long-standing water dispute.

Local newspapers and The Asian Wall Street Journal have been carrying full-page government-paid advertisements rejecting Singapore's claim, made in a booklet, that Malaysia was unreasonable in demanding an increase in the price of water it supplies to Singapore.

The advertisements published on Thursday accused Singapore of having "gone around the world" claiming that Malaysia had repeatedly agreed to a new price of water and then "shifted the goal posts."

"All points have never been agreed," the advertisement placed by Malaysia's National Economic Action Council read. "No agreement has been signed by the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore."

The Singapore Foreign Ministry said the advertisements, which will run until Sunday, ignored crucial facts and were a rehash of old arguments.

Speaking to reporters upon returning from a three-day visit to Ukraine, Mahathir defended the advertisements and said Malaysia needed to make its arguments known to the public.

"Many people don't know, so it must be new to a lot of people," Mahathir was quoted as saying by the national news agency, Bernama. "People should know the facts, that's all."

The advertisements were in response to the Singaporean booklet, titled, Water talks? If only it could, which was released in March and accuses Malaysia of changing its stance in negotiations over issues such as water prices, border crossing locations and military airspace.

Malaysia and Singapore have a touchy relationship despite close economic and cultural ties. The former British colonies were united in 1963 but split amid bitter discord two years later. Their usually cordial ties sometimes turn testy over persistent disagreements.

Malaysia wants to renegotiate two agreements dating back to the 1920s freezing the price of water it supplies to Singapore at 3 Malaysian sen (1 U.S. cent) per 4,540 liters (1,200 U.S. gallons) of untreated water. Malaysia says the price is now ridiculously low.

But Singapore, which relies on its neighbor for half its water needs, said Malaysia missed its chance to review prices in the mid-1980s. The two agreements expire in 2011 and 2061.