Bilateral ties between Malaysia and Singapore are grouted in a joint history shaped by colonialism, and defined by culture, religion, race, xenophobia and politics. In the four decades they have lived apart, the relationship is frustrated by race and xenophobia, though neither would admit it.

In each a significant minority continue to insist their divorce in 1965 was fatal to both, and future ties must take this into account. Little has changed in the four decades since, and the bilateral ties are predicated to the same set of issues that caused the separation.

Each has gone its way in the world, each is successful in its own way, and sees the world most of the time through the same prism. But what holds them back is the slew of unresolved issues, most of which can be resolved if each or both put their minds to it.

But it is typical of the relations that when one is ready the other is not; and it is all but impossible to arrange a meeting to discuss a final break of the divorce.