Malaysian leaders cautious on Lee's vow to retract remarks

Malaysian leaders cautious on Lee's vow to retract remarks

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian leaders reacted guardedly yesterday to Singapore political patriarch Lee Kuan Yew's promise to retract remarks which triggered a political row between the two neighbors.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said the government response would be made public after a weekly cabinet meeting today, expected to focus on former prime minister Lee's criticism of a southern Malaysian state near Singapore.

"We will tell you after the cabinet meeting tomorrow," Mahathir was quoted by the national news agency Bernama as saying as Malaysian newspapers ran banner headlines yesterday on Lee's offer to withdraw his remarks.

Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim separately issued a terse reaction, telling reporters without any expression: "Let's wait for the cabinet."

But Malaysian opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said in a statement that Lee's latest move "is most welcome and should put to rest an unpleasant episode in Malaysia-Singapore relations."

Lee, who led Singapore to independence from Malaysia in 1965, vowed Monday to strike out "the offending words" from an affidavit filed with Singapore's High Court which unintentionally became public, sparking outrage in Malaysia.

The affidavit was part of a defamation action by Singapore's ruling party, including Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, against defeated opposition candidate Tang Liang Hong, who fled to southern Malaysia's Johore state, citing death threats, after the January general elections in Singapore.

Lee, now senior minister, said in the affidavit that Johore, linked to Singapore by a causeway, was "notorious for shootings, muggings and car-jackings," adding "it did not make sense for a person who claims to be fearful for his life to go to a place like Johore."

In his statement Monday, Lee said: "I have already apologized unreservedly (to Malaysia) and repeat my unreserved apology in this signed statement."

The 73-year-old Lee sparked a similar uproar in Malaysia last year when he said the two countries, which separated in 1965, could merge again.

Lee first apologized publicly for his remarks on Johore last week, but that move failed to placate Kuala Lumpur.

"Malaysian government leaders have expressed their wish that statements in my affidavit which have caused offense to the Malaysian people not remain on the record," Lee said Monday.