Agitator ( Fanning war talk dims M'sia's image

) has gotten the wrong end of the stick. Looking at it more objectively, Singapore politicians have been more aggressive lately over the Pulau Batu Putih/Pedra Branca issue.

Earlier in January, Singapore Defence Minister Tony Tan Keng Yam vowed that its navy would do whatever necessary to defend the island. A few days later, Singapore Foreign Minister S Jayakumar also issued a stern and aggressive warning that Malaysia stay away, as if the island was not equally in dispute between both countries.

This has caused Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Defence Minister Najib Abdul Razak to reject the arrogance of Singapore officials. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself has repeatedly said Malaysia does not want to go to war over Pulau Batu Putih, but Agitator neglects mentioning that.

Let's face it then: besides the words, it's Singapore's actions that are even more telling. It is Singapore that has built naval structures o­n the disputed island. And it was Singapore's armed forces that used warships to chase away Malaysian journalists hoping to get a closer view of the island recently.

And what about the fear of losing foreign investments? This is true for most countries, perhaps for Singapore more than most. It is an economy built o­n foreign investment and trade, possessing no natural resources.

Its economy is also doing badly, as reflected in the decline of several industries there.

What Agitator has said applies more to Singapore than anybody else. But will Singapore politicians heed that call? Would that call be aimed at Singapore at least as much?

Unless and until Singapore has an equivalent of malaysiakini (perhaps a 'Singaporenow'), that seems unlikely to me.