Malaysia

Further delays are to be expected regarding the JB-Singapore RTS Link project as Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) announced on Thu (4 Apr) that a review of the bilateral agreement (BA) regarding the project is “possible”. MOT noted that any review or deadline extension will be “subject to mutual consent of both countries”. “For example, Malaysia can request to suspend …

Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar did not only drew support from the public but also faced much backlash from the PH and PKR coalition over her negative comments towards Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s present governance in her controversial interview with Singapore’s Strait Times. She described last year’s political development, including the lack of a clear-cut narrative to strengthen …

Critics of Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament (MP) Nurul Izzah Anwar’s recent statement regarding Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad should instead pay attention to the current state of the Malaysian economy and society, said Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Anwar Ibrahim. In an interview with ST‘s executive editor Sumiko Tan for The Sunday Times, Ms Izzah spoke about how “turbulent and …

Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s recent remarks against Malaysia in relation to the 1962 bilateral Water Supply Agreement were reckless and unbridled, said Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah. Responding to queries from several Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding the water dispute, Dato’ Saifuddin stressed that at this stage, Malaysia should be “in the second stage of the discussion” with Singapore, …

The people of Johor, particularly the state government, should speak up on their rights in relation to the water price agreement, particularly regarding the rate at which water is sold to Singapore, said Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Bernama reported the prime minister as saying at the Johor Government Retreat with Federal Cabinet on Thursday (28 Feb) that it …

While acknowledging that Malaysia’s ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) is undergoing teething issues, Klang Member of Parliament Charles Santiago rejected the assertion of Singapore’s former Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan’s that PH is “falling apart”. Mr Santiago’s response to Mr Kausikan’s comments was published on Malaysiakini on Tue (26 Feb). “I am not denying that Malaysia’s ruling coalition is experiencing teething problems, …

The recent comments made by Singapore’s former Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan regarding deploying military force in bilateral conflicts between the Republic and its northern neighbour Malaysia are “akin to cries of desperate opportunists seeking to rally consensus for war against a bogeyman”, opined a Malaysian senator. In an op-ed article published by Malay Mail on Saturday (23 Feb), Member of Dewan …

Singapore is being used as a scapegoat to divert attention from political infighting among parties within the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, said Singapore’s former Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan, in reference to the heightened tensions between Malaysia and Singapore in the recent months since the coalition came to power on 9 May last year. The Malaysian Insight reported Mr Kausikan as saying …

Democracy, despite its shortcomings, is the best system of governance to have in relative to other systems of governance, as citizens have the power to overthrow their government “with a stroke of the pen” at the polls, in contrast to authoritarian systems in which violent revolutions involving wars and bloodshed have to occur for a change to take place, said …

Following the meeting between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad in Nov last year regarding the 1962 Water Agreement between the two nations, a subsequent meeting between the Attorneys-General of both countries was held regarding the issue the following month. A spokesperson for Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, revealed on Tuesday (19 Feb) that the …