The Star, July 16: Four letters shed light on issue
Four letters shed light on issue (Source)
PETALING JAYA: The Government has made public the full contents of correspondence between former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and two of Singapore’s former prime ministers on outstanding issues involving the nations, including the aborted bridge project.
Copies of two letters from Dr Mahathir to Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong and two replies from Goh in 2002 were released via Bernama’s website under the heading “Correspondence between Tun Dr Mahathir and former Singapore Prime Ministers.”
The first letter dated March 4, 2002 is Dr Mahathir’s reply to Lee’s letter of Dec 10, 2001.
It outlines Malaysia’s proposals on the package issues – the bridge project to replace the Causeway, sale of water to Singapore, use airspace by the Singapore Air Force, the Malaysian Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex and Central Provident Fund.
In the letter, it is evident that Dr Mahathir included the bridge project as a trade-off and part of the package issues to be resolved with Singapore.
The second letter is one from Goh to Dr Mahathir dated April 11, 2002, which referred to the March 4 letter and Lee’s reply on March 11.
In it, Goh indicated that Singapore preferred the proposal of a new bridge to replace the entire Causeway rather than one to replace just the Malaysian side of the Causeway.
However, he added, if Malaysia wished to proceed with a bridge replacing just its side of the Causeway, he would accept it though he thought it was not ideal.
In Dr Mahathir’s letter to Goh dated Oct 7, 2002, he ended the package approach with Singapore, saying that Malaysia had decided to give highest priority to resolving the long-delayed water issue.
Goh’s reply on Oct 14, 2002 stated that since Malaysia wanted to deal with the water issue separately and discontinue the package approach, the trade-off was no longer possible.
