Malaysia, Singapore met to resolve thorny issues

Asian Political News, March 7, 2005

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, March 1 Kyodo

Malaysia and Singapore held a second round of talks Tuesday to resolve thorny issues, especially on water supply, that have been a constant source of bickering between the two historically linked neighbors.

The one-day meeting between the Malaysian delegation led by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Singapore's one led by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was held in Putrajaya, the federal administrative capital.

Reporters were kept away from the meeting as the leaders had previously blamed the media for exacerbating the already soured bilateral relationship.

Instead, a three-paragraph statement was issued by Malaysia at the end of the nearly three-hour talks, saying the two sides had held a ''constructive discussion on outstanding bilateral issues.''

''Their discussion has enabled both countries to make progress towards an amicable solution to these issues. They agreed on the steps to move the discussion forward,'' it said. ''Both sides agreed that it would not be helpful, at this juncture, to publicize the details of the discussion.''

The latest round of talks began last December after a lapse of two years.

Relations between the two countries have been touchy and talks to settle the outstanding disputes broke down in 2002 during former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's administration despite several rounds of meetings.

Both sides have often quarreled over issues such as the supply of water from Malaysia to resource-scarce Singapore, Malaysian-owned railway land in Singapore, the ban on Singapore military flights over Malaysian airspace, pension funds contributed by Malaysians working in Singapore, and a proposed bridge to replace the causeway that currency connects the two countries across the Johor Straits.

But new warmth has been generated from both sides since Abdullah, a former foreign minister, took over from Mahathir in October 2003 and Singapore saw a change in leadership last August when Lee Hsieng Loong replaced Goh as prime minister.

Lee then appointed Goh to head the negotiations.

Once part of Malaysia, Singapore separated in 1965.