YOURSAY | ‘With polls around the corner, are we doing S’pore a favour with this public spat?’
Amid diplomatic row, S'pore PM's wife tells Bersatu leader to 'chill'
Quigonbond: If anyone needs to “chill,” it isn’t Bersatu policy and strategy bureau chief Rais Hussin.
I think Ho Ching, the wife of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, should ask the republic’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen to chill, instead of issuing an open threat over perceived vessel intrusions into Singaporean waters.
Cocomomo: Leaders on both sides should chill. Words hurt and once uttered the negative effects will persist despite any apologies issued thereafter. Think before you talk.
Lebai Pencen: Whether we like it or not, the fates of Malaysia and Singapore are intertwined.
Of course, Singapore took advantage of former PM Najib Razak's weaknesses, and they will do so in the future if the conditions are right. Of course, Singapore would like to push Malaysia another peg or two down.
But that's par for the course in our relations over the past half-century. We'll spar if we must, even if both sides get hurt. That's the way of the world. Look at the US and China.
We don't have to indulge Singapore, merely tolerate them.
Just A Malaysian: Singapore has never acted benevolently towards Malaysia, but that is their right. They needed Malaysia in many ways but would not go out of their way to help us. That is also their right.
They would love for us to have a stupid fumbling prime minister who they can twirl around their finger. But that is not their fault, it is our stupidity.
We need to deal with Singapore objectively, intelligently and without expectation of brotherly love. That said, we must not act in an uncivilised manner and threaten their existence. All we have to do is be smart.
MahuSeeLui: Mahathir has a poor record when it comes to Singapore, for whatever reason, and this latest spat is not unexpected, now that he is back in power.
Malaysian generally do not take kindly to Singapore because it has become very successful.
Of course, Singapore has benefited greatly from Malaysia's poor governance and corruption. Malaysia is less competitive, and there is a continuous brain drain to Singapore.
But beating one's chest and taking threatening postures do not make us better. We should change our mindset, and work harder and smarter.
Times have changed. Malaysia has held itself back for so many decades through poor policies and undue emphasis on race and religion.
Prudent: It is Singapore who made the first threat by showing off their warships in the spat. If I quarrel with you, and then came out again to confront you holding a machine gun, what would be your reaction? Roll over?
The Singaporean action was thuggish and uncivilised. Time to raise the price of raw water from 3 sen per 1,000 gallons.
Abasir: When Singapore was expelled in 1965 with the intention of teaching it a thing or two, guess what happened to the republic? And guess where Malaysia is today with its legacy of kleptocracy and 'ketuanan' (supremacy)?
While sheer deprivation taught Singaporeans superior survival skills, and enabled them to acquire world-class innovation and amazing fortitude, Malaysia has kept deteriorating in every significant measure to become what it is today - a broken kleptocracy threatened by mob rule.
‘Strategists’ like Rais don’t seem to realise that Singapore did not get to its present position by embracing mediocracy and taking shortcuts.
As Pulau Batu Puteh episode shows, it approaches every dispute with facts and only indisputable facts. Not photoshopped pictures, slogans and ‘clever’ opinion pieces.
That is the reason why it will prevail again, which is why Malaysia needs to do everything to avoid another shameful loss of face on the world stage. It can start by refraining from issuing threats of “pain.”
MasihBerharap: I believe Ho did not read the entire opinion piece. The “pain by a thousand cuts” must have been sensationalised and got her attention.
Overall, the opinion piece by Rais was conciliatory and pacifist, which is more than I can say of Ng's "strong caution."
Retnam: "Pain by a thousand cuts" is a variation of “death by a thousand cuts,” which obviously is not to be taken literally. Sometimes people are just too daft to understand nuances.
Typical, M'sia will never stop trying to tame S'pore - ex-diplomat
Well That’s Fantastic: Election is due in Singapore, and the nationalists are spouting rubbish again. Such a storm in a teacup.
These issues can be fixed without all this escalating drama in either country. Be the politicians you say you are and sit across from each other and talk. Stop being silly.
You can't reclaim land, and then say your maritime border must be the same distance from your new shoreline as your old shoreline. Not when the expansion encroaches on a neighbouring country’s borders, at least. Got a bunch of millennials running the show there or something?
Also, Singapore has cheated Malaysia over the water deal since 1965. They made the deal as part of Malaysia in 1962, they got a deal that a state would get.
Then they became their own country and said they were entitled to said water anyway. Malaysian politicians don't want to see their neighbours go without water, so they let it be.
Now Singapore comes out all high and mighty like Malaysia has done them wrong. Turn off their water and let them negotiate a new water supply contract as a sovereign nation.
Quigonbond: Yes, why do I have a feeling that behind closed doors, Malaysia and Singapore have already come to an agreement over some of these issues?
Is this just Malaysia doing Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) a favour by entertaining the party’s desire for a public spat?
Threatening military action over some minor incursions will certainly buttress PAP's credentials ahead of the 2019 elections.
Nicholas Philip: Indeed, is PAP feeling the heat? With poor growth, a lack of human resources in many key industries, and an election coming up, are they running a little scared?
Jk7462000: Former Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan is living in the past. No one in Malaysia cares about "taming" Singapore anymore.
Abd Karim: Bilhari's response – that Malaysia is trying to “domesticate (menjinakkan)” Singapore to deflect from the “intrinsic shortcomings of a system based on the dominance of a particular race” – is a clear indication of the level of arrogance Putrajaya has to put up with.
There is nothing wrong in being humble and negotiating as a friendly neighbour. Nobody has to be subservient, neither Singapore nor Malaysia.
Fateh: Singapore had it easy after Dr Mahathir Mohamad stepped down as prime minister in 2003. With his weak successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and the scandal-tainted Najib Abdul Razak, Singapore had the upper hand.
But now Mahathir has returned.
Enlighten: Thanks, Mahathir. Instead of dealing head-on with the spectre of racial politics being conjured by Umno and PAS, he is choosing the unnecessary fight with Singapore to divert attention.
If the Umno and PAS problem is not handled with firmness and courage, the Pakatan Harapan government may fall and send the country into chaos.
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