The stalled water talks between Malaysia and Singapore can now restart only with a meeting between the two prime ministers. The two negotiating teams cannot overcome the impasse, for one does not understand the other and the other only too well. For the talks to resume, Singapore must ask for it. But she would not without some guarantees from Malaysia.

That she would not get Singapore botched the talks, in the Malay mind, when she revealed confidential documents in an unresolved issue. And proved she would in future in a regional dispute when she published confidential correspondence between Singapore and Indonesia over

trade statistics. Singapore insists the letter of the law must be honoured.

Malaysia has now released a series of advertisements putting her case public for Singapore to rebut when, if, talks resume.