Good foreign relations stem from mutual respect

The Straits Times, February 16, 2007

THE arguments in Mr Lee Weng Foo's letter, 'Big dose of sensitivity and humility needed when dealing with our neighbours' (ST, Feb 13), remind me of former British prime minister Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement.

Believing he could avoid confrontation with Germany, a poorer nation than Britain just after World War I, Chamberlain advocated appeasement towards the Germans. In 1938, he signed the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler, allowing the Germans to annex Sudetenland. Instead of reducing friction with Germany, World War II began, and more bloodshed occurred.

Although our current situation is unlikely to spark a war, history tells us appeasement fails to engender goodwill. Often, it emboldens the bully.

To date, our leaders have shown more goodwill than some of our neighbours are willing to acknowledge. When former Israeli president Chaim Herzog visited Singapore, our then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew apologised to our neighbours. When the tsunami hit Indonesia, we provided humanitarian aid.

Yet, some of our neighbours have scant respect for Singapore. Former Indonesian president B.J. Habibie called us 'the little red dot'. Malaysians joked about our Newater project.

Good international relations should stem from mutual respect, not subservience. As a sovereign nation, we should not falter in the face of adversity. Our policies should be free from unreasonable diktats of foreign nations.

In the wise words of Benjamin Franklin: 'Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither.'

Lim Wee Hing
ST Forum