Mixed reaction to plan for joint Singapore-KL committee

Media fairly upbeat over plan; Johor politicians want less focus on S'pore

The Straits Times, May 17, 2007
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief


KUALA LUMPUR - THE plan for a joint Singapore-Malaysia ministerial committee for the development of south Johor has generated mixed reaction in Malaysia.

The Malaysian media coverage has been fairly positive, especially in the Chinese press, but some reservations and caution have been expressed by Johor politicians.

The politicians saw it as opening the door to greater Singapore investments, but at the same time, they were not comfortable with what they perceived as an excessive focus on Singapore.

At the end of their two-day retreat in Langkawi on Tuesday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Badawi announced a decision to set up the committee to discuss issues related to Singapore's involvement in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in southern Johor

These included the possible introduction of a smart card for travel between Singapore and Malaysia, Singapore's assistance in cleaning up Johor's rivers and joint tourism promotion.

Datuk Shahrir Samad, the MP for Johor Baru, said it was a positive move to have a committee to address issues such as easier travel between both countries.

'It is good that this is happening. Sometimes, people get nervous when Malaysia talks to Singapore, but Malaysians should have more confidence in themselves,' he said.

But he also said there should not be the idea that the IDR was only about Singapore, although it was described by Prime Minister Abdullah as Malaysia's version of Shenzhen vis-Ã -vis Hong Kong in China.

Datuk Shahrir did not like this comparison as it suggested that the IDR was dependent on one country.

'It is not just about Singapore. I would prefer that we also have similar discussions (on smart cards) with Indonesia so it would strengthen IDR's regional positioning,' he said.

Datuk Razali Ibrahim, the Johor Umno Youth chief, said the committee was a good initiative, but both countries must stand to benefit.

For instance, he said, the smart card should be used for entry into both countries, not just into Malaysia for Singaporeans.

In the Senate yesterday, Foreign Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Ahmad Shabery Cheek said having a joint ministerial committee did not mean that Malaysia was weak or dependent on Singapore to develop the IDR.

He was responding to questions from two senators.

In the media, the two-day meeting in the plush Four Seasons Resort in Langkawi received wide coverage.

The New Straits Times described it as a 'fruitful meeting', playing on the picture of the two PMs at a durian feast that brought the retreat to a close on a delectable note.

The two delegations enjoyed the durians at the resort just before the Malaysians bade farewell to the Singapore delegation, which left for home on Tuesday.

All the newspapers, including those in Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese, carried the news prominently on the front pages.

The Chinese language newspapers were the most enthusiastic.

A commentary in the Nanyang Siang Pau said the joint ministerial committee signalled not only a desire to explore new economic cooperation, but also a willingness to relook outstanding bilateral issues.

These included the price of water sold to Singapore, the use of Malaysian airspace for Singapore air force training, redevelopment of Malaysia's railway land in Singapore and a bridge to replace the Causeway.

'The retreat is not only an ice-breaking meeting for both countries, but a meeting that breathes new life into cooperation as well as one that helps both countries to undo the dead knot in bilateral relations,' said the writer, Ms Chang Hui Min.

In a commentary in the Sin Chew Jit Poh, it was noted that while the retreat may not have resolved the outstanding issues, it showed the leaders' wisdom in starting with simpler issues before progressing further.

Another commentary in the newspaper said 'an invisible bridge has been built between Singapore and Malaysia following the retreat in Langkawi'.




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CONFIDENCE NEEDED

'It is good that this is happening. Sometimes, people get nervous when Malaysia talks to Singapore, but Malaysians should have more confidence in themselves.'
JOHOR BARU MP SHAHRIR SAMAD