I refer to your report ' Controversial S'pore water book highlights future development plans '.

I think it is really silly for the Singaporean government to make the subject controversial again at this crucial period of power transition in Malaysia. Whatever the merits, it should wait until Pak Lah consolidates his power in Umno and the country first.

Now having been played up by the Umno-controlled media, Pak Lah has to respond in the typically nationalistic manner, or else, the already weak premier-in-waiting would further lose support and legitimacy in Umno and the country. Pak Lah cannot be seen weak vis-a-vis Singapore at this moment.

Already, Pak Lah is seen soft and weak within Umno in his dealing with MCA's Team A and Western powers like in the Economist controversy.

Seen in this way, Singapore will not help Pak Lah positively to consolidate his power despite it is the intention of Singapore, as can be read in reports and commentaries in the Singaporean media, to favour Pak Lah as the next Umno president and Malaysia's prime minister.

Perhaps, Singapore intentionally wants to create a controversy in Malaysia to give Pak Lah an opportunity to prove his nationalist credentials and valour to Umno and the party-controlled media, so that he could be softer and nicer towards Singapore once he consolidates his power.

It is quite clear by now that Singapore loves Pak Lah more than Dr Mahathir Mohamad because the former is less hostile.

However, if Pak Lah reacts strongly and negatively to Singapore as scripted, he will lose support among other Malaysians who are more moderate than Umno's media, and who want to see a clean break between Pak Lah and Mahathir on foreign affairs management. Moreover, it would also set in motion another round of highly competitive Singapore-bashing orgy among Umno leaders.

So, either way, Singapore is actually doing a great disservice to Pak Lah at this point of time. Pak Lah cannot be a Singapore-bashing nationalist and a 'moderate' leader at the same time.

If Pak Lah says nothing and does not react, he would be seen as an indecisive weakling.

The best thing to do is for Singapore to retract its booklet, say sorry to Malaysia and do not disrupt the transition.