SINGAPORE: It is obvious that both Malaysia and Singapore are keeping their channels of communication open in their efforts to solve bilateral issues, although tensions escalated at times due to “exchange” of words.
Through numerous meetings, two bilateral issues were successfully resolved.
One is the postponement of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail. The other is on the airspace over Pasir Gudang.
Malaysia and Singapore are currently intensively working on solving several other outstanding matters, such as the maritime border issue and the 1962 Water Agreement.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is scheduled to be in Malaysia for two days from April 8 to meet his Malaysian counterpart Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the 9th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat.
The latest edition of the Retreat, which was supposed to be held in November last year, was postponed.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is scheduled to be in Malaysia for two days from April 8 to meet his Malaysian counterpart Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the 9th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat.
The latest edition of the Retreat, which was supposed to be held in November last year, was postponed.
Dr Mahathir had on Friday said Malaysia and Singapore would hold discussions in a “friendly manner” on all unresolved issues during the Retreat.
He and Lee will meet for the first time over the Leaders’ Retreat platform, a vital mechanism to strengthen relations and find solutions for bilateral issues.
“It is good to continue with this tradition. Our leaders must come together from time to time to have a good heart-to-heart talk,” said Ong Keng Yong, executive deputy chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University.
Ong, through his experience, said the leaders were always able to use the opportunity to talk “directly and candidly over bilateral issues”.
“This particular process has been adopted over the past several years. Both sides see value in this,” said Ong, who was High Commissioner of Singapore to Malaysia from 2011 to 2014.
Ong also hoped that both countries could find solutions to manage the bilateral tiffs based on Asean’s “camaraderie spirit” while minding the positive image of the 52-year-old regional pact.
“When we have bilateral issues, let us find a way to resolve them. If we cannot resolve them quickly, we find a way to manage them,” he said.Meanwhile, Singapore CIMB Private Bank economist Song Seng Wun said: “The fact that there is going to be a face-to-face meeting between both leaders is already an encouraging sign after the annual Leaders’ Retreat was postponed last November.”
On whether bilateral issues could be resolved as “exchange” of words had taken place, Song noted that at the end of the day, “the resolutions will depend on how the two sides interpret legal documents or take further steps on whether to seek third-party arbitration.” — Bernama
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