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.