10/03/2006

open apology from lky

LKY has officially replied to Badawi, something which a gentleman like Badawi deserved. I refresh my memory but could not recall Badawi making any insinuations or racial remarks about Singapore in the past, unlike his predecessor. It would be unlikely for LKY to do so if it was Mahathir making the demand. For many years, LKY has been quite reticent about the racial slurs of Mahathir and his ministers. During that period, attacking Singapore on such grounds is the implied norm. Every minister worth to be in the good book of Mahathir must utter something to this effect to cut his teeth, so to speak. What did Singapore do? Explain, explain and explain. None feel it right or up to it to take on such comments headon, probably to avoid further deterioration of relations. Even LKY refused to be dragged in. But a closure must be made to this unpleasant way to conduct interstate relations, pointing an accusing finger across borders to score political points. Hopefully, with this letter of open apology coming from LKY, the Malaysian side could bury this episode and not to reinvent more new attacks in the future. It takes two parties to clap. And if one party insists to continue, it would seem that the Singapore side will now respond more robustly by the ministers instead of keeping quiet and avoiding the issue. One just can't keep folding his arms and receive all the blows.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am now extremely worried about Singapore in this new era... ...

...especially so when I am still in Singapore.

Bless me with more time... I'd need it.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i bless you. amen

Anonymous said...

elfred,we are a very rich country, don't worry.If anything happens, America and China will protect us.

Anonymous said...

Yeah rich with the ill gotten gains of corrupt Indonesian businessmen and government officials and not to mention drug money from the Burmese junta. Singapore, the money laundering hub of Asia.