Senior Minister Lee's trip to Malaysia a key maker

Senior Minister Lee's trip to Malaysia a key maker

SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew's stay in Malaysia,
which he wished could have lasted longer, accomplished rather
more than was expected of a trip billed as a refresher. He is
walking history: The surviving Singaporean link between the
tumultuous 1960s days before and after merger, and the
development era when the two countries diverged markedly, each
responding to different stimuli.

At the back of people's minds would be two questions: Could he
and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad settle once and for all the
outstanding issues -- principally on water supply, but also, the
status of Malayan 1 Railway land and West Malaysians' CPF money?
Would there follow a substantive improvement in relations, easy
and relaxed, such that they could not be buffeted by the
occasional gale over assumed intrusions into Johor and the like?

On the first point, all the nuanced remarks heard from Lee
have been encouraging. He left the distinct impression that
blockages were on the way to being cleared, whereupon compromise
would be possible to bring about a resolution that would meet the
needs of both sides.

If, indeed, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Dr Mahathir do
meet in two or three months' time, one could presume the
"stalemate" Lee mentioned would have been broken. He was careful
to say, before the trip, that he did not want to raise
expectations unduly. In similar vein, the Malaysian Foreign
Minister said it would be wonderful if the visit brought results.

In the circumstances, Lee's reference to "two, three months"
as a possible time-frame for the prime ministers' meeting had to
be significant. If this bears out, there could be no better start
to the millennium for Singaporeans -- certainly if water supply
was no longer subject to the vagaries of the political climate.

On bilateral ties, it is harder to judge whether an agreement
on those issues alone, while definitely a boon, can be
characterized as bedrock. Water is a Singaporean concern, and
with good reason. Malaysians may not quite see the issue in
similar vein. They have to climb into a Singaporean mind on this
matter to engage effectively.

Singaporeans, conversely, might find it difficult to
comprehend why Malaysians keep making arched references to the
Republic's defense spending. Malaysians see no compelling reason
why a country flush with cash is reluctant to release their
returnees' CPF monies. And so forth. These affect surface
tension, but need greater effort be expended on both sides to
develop an easy, folksy relationship?

Ties of kinship, which both sides subscribe freely to on
account of a common history, have to be rooted in nobler virtues:
trust, empathy, respect, accommodation, a willingness to listen,
a mutually-reinforcing humility.

Despite the commonalities that bind the neighbors, it is more
pertinent to acknowledge that the two countries have drifted
apart in the past three decades, as each sought its own identity
based on differing world views.

Lee's important visit can be a marker to a closer convergence.
He spoke of the need for younger politicians to engage each
other. It is not new, but a helpful step. Here's a thought: key
ministries on both sides (foreign affairs, defense, education,
finance, trade, information) should alternate holding annual
games. There can be a bilateral ministerial forum for each,
besides the mechanism of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations. And it will help if more Singaporeans see much more of
Malaysia beyond the lower half of Johor.

-- The Straits Times / Asia News Network