KL 'can't focus on Singapore alone in its foreign relations'

The Straits Times, July 3, 2007


KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said yesterday that Malaysia cannot focus on Singapore alone in its foreign relations as it had links with many other countries.

He was responding to Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's remarks about Johor's Iskandar Development Region (IDR) in an interview with Singapore's Berita Harian.

MM Lee had said that Umno leaders in Johor viewed Singapore as always acting in its own interests, and that potential investors from Singapore must ask themselves how welcome their investments will be in the IDR.

Reacting to MM Lee's comments, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid said MM Lee must understand that there are differences between Singapore and Malaysia because Malaysian society is 'more open and discussed issues', reported Bernama.

'There is public opinion in this country,' he was quoted as saying.

'At the end of the day, we are clear about our policy...in the case of Singapore, all the time they do anything...they look at and think about Malaysia. We have none of that problem.

'I do not think anybody is against Singapore...we consider Singapore our neighbour. We have no problem in practising good neighbourly policy, so we hope all Singapore leaders will do the same,' he said.

Reacting to MM Lee's comments as well, Johor Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) chief Chua Soi Lek told Sin Chew Daily that MM Lee should not have expressed remarks that 'poured cold water' on Johor's Iskandar Development Region.

Datuk Seri Chua, who is also Malaysia's Health Minister, told the Chinese newspaper that MM Lee's remarks reflected his worries over the IDR's effects on Singapore's economy.

He said there was no need for MM Lee to express such remarks just because the success of the IDR was affecting Singapore's efforts to woo foreign investments.

Datuk Seri Chua said Malaysia had an edge in several areas compared with Singapore, for example, lower manpower costs.

MM Lee's comments came after complaints from Malaysians regarding the setting up of a joint ministerial committee on the IDR, agreed upon by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong.

Some Malaysians saw the committee as a mechanism through which Singapore could exploit the IDR for its own benefit.