Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said leaders and governments of both countries have to take a strategic perspective and manage issues sensitively. - PHOTO: PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE via The Straits Times/ANN
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Singapore and Malaysia have a close but inherently complex relationship. And while the two neighbours have not always agreed on every issue, they have made good progress because leaders on both sides have generally been able to keep the big picture in mind, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on July 21.
In a speech to the Kuala Lumpur Business Club, SM Lee said this complexity is why leaders and governments of both countries have to take a strategic perspective and manage issues sensitively, from the point of view of the overall relationship.
“They have to be aware of the potential difficulties and pitfalls, but at the same time, be alert to the tremendous dividends, provided we can navigate around the problems and work together,” said SM Lee, who was on an official visit to Malaysia.
At the heart of why the relationship is complex is how the two countries came together in difficult circumstances, followed by a separation that was traumatic for both sides and unforgettable for that generation of Singaporeans and Malaysians.
“We need to understand that while the passions may subside, the underlying fundamental issues that complicate our relationship have not gone away,” he said.
This includes the fact that the two societies are inverse images of each other – Singapore is majority ethnic Chinese and minority Malay and others, while Malaysia is majority Malay and minority Chinese and others – and have taken radically different approaches to building multiracial societies, added SM Lee.
“Things that either side does – things that we take for granted within our own societies – can easily raise eyebrows and be misinterpreted by the other side, and can cause misunderstanding or unhappiness every now and then,” he said.
Besides the structural difference to both societies, there are difficult bilateral issues for which win-win solutions cannot be easily found, he noted.
Three longstanding issues – water, airspace management and maritime boundaries – are being discussed and progress has been made, “but the issues keep on being there for many years now”, SM Lee added.
These issues require hard work and serious discussion to identify workable and durable approaches that accommodate the vital interests of both countries, he said, and discussions on them have been taking place quietly behind the scenes, but will likely take some time to reach a conclusion.
“If the time is not yet ripe to make a breakthrough on some difficult issue, then the two governments will still continue to do our best to keep matters under control, and to insulate our broader cooperation from these unresolved problems,” he said.
“We must not inadvertently let an issue get politicised and played up, or poison the overall relationship, and make things even harder and be very damaging to both sides,” SM Lee added.
It is possible, even with such difficult tasks, to find constructive ways to make progress together. He cited the KTM railway land issue, which Singapore and Malaysia were able to settle – after a 20-year impasse – in an amicable way that enhanced trust and confidence.
Land was swopped, and joint projects were built on both sides to the satisfaction of both parties, he noted.
“It enabled us to think of going on from that, to doing more things together,” he said.
Neighbourly rivalry is another element that has to be managed, he added. While passionate arguments about the origins of well-loved songs and dishes can add an extra zing to the relationship and provide some incentive to outdo each other, such passions should not get out of hand, said SM Lee.
While these are some reasons why the relationship is inherently sensitive and complex, both sides know they have to work together as there is no other alternative for either country, he added.
“We can refuse to deal with each other, or engage in endless rounds of tit-for-tat. But that is not sensible, nor viable, for either side.
“We will give each other endless trouble; we will miss out on many opportunities for win-win cooperation. Neither of us will get any joy or benefit out of it,” he said.
“So I am glad that at the highest levels on both sides, we have generally been able to keep the big picture in mind, and have made good progress, even if we have not always agreed on every issue.”
The two neighbours also have every reason to keeping building on the bilateral relationship in an increasingly troubled world, added SM Lee.
He noted that conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, and the contestation between great powers like the US and China, have affected international trade and global supply chains. Regional security has also been affected, and it is crucial that Asean countries work together to enhance regional stability and integration.
He added: “The more stable the political atmospherics are, the easier it is for business people to do their business and not have to worry about the weather or to carry an umbrella.”
Bilateral ties are stable and positive during this moment of transition in Singapore, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong taking over the leadership mantle, SM Lee added.
“I have every confidence that PM Lawrence Wong will work with (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim) to take our partnership forward.
“As senior minister, I now have a different, supporting role. And I will do all I can in that role to strengthen ties further, and help forge new ones between our two countries,” he added.
In sum, the continued progress and prosperity of Singapore and Malaysia hinges on both sides maintaining the win-win, equal and mutually respectful relationship that exists today, said SM Lee.
“Long may we share this goal, and long may our people continue to enjoy the blessings of peace, harmony, and friendship that we, and previous generations, have worked so hard to build.” - The Straits Times/ANN
