Proposal for a Eminent Persons Group (EPG) comprising equal number of
eminent citizens from Malaysia and Singapore to devise formula to resolve
outstanding differences or mechanism to deal with them without any loose
talk and sabre-rattling from either side
Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang
(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday):
Two days ago, the world saw a historic breakthrough in the improvement in
cross-strait relations when a Boeing 747-400 of Taiwan's China Airlines,
carrying 243 passengers and crew, flew to Shanghai via Hong Kong and
returned to Taipei the same way - the first of 16 charter flights to help
Taiwanese get home for the Lunar New Year holidays starting on Feb. 1.
In contrast, the nearest cross-strait relations between Malaysia and
Singapore took a lurch for the worse in the past few days.
After lodging a report with Suhakam yesterday afternoon on the worst dengue
epidemic in the nation's history which was raging on unchecked, claiming
more lives and violating "the mother of all human rights" - the right to
life - I was informed of the Berita Harian report of the Young PAP having an
online discussion forum for Singaporeans to discuss the possibility of war
with Malaysia.
I was shocked by the news, for this seemed to have taken the reputation of
Singaporeas for being brash, insensitive and arrogant to a new height.
The insensitive war talk on the online discussion forum, as reported by the
Berita Harian which I read on my return to the DAP headquarters in Petaling
Jaya after lunch, was in bad taste, insensitive, unneighbouly and arrogant.
If the Berita Harian report was true and correct, the Young PAP's action in
having an online discussion group to encourage war talk against Malaysia was
most deplorable and deserved censure.
However, when I tried to check on the discussion forum on the Young PAP
website, I could not find it. This restrained me from making any comments in
the absence of verification.
Berita Harian today reported that the discussion thread was taken off the
Young PAP website sometime yesterday afternoon. If so, this would show that
there are still redeeming features despite the original insensitivities in
putting up the highly offensive discussion forum earlier.
There have been too much loose talk, including war talk, on both sides of
the Johore straits which had poisoned the bilateral relationship.
Recently, Tim Huxley, the British author of the book Defending the Lion
City, complained that his work had been taken out of context in the earlier
spat between the two countries over Pulau Batu Puteh.
It does not reflect well on both the governments and leaderships of the two
countries for such vitriolic relationship to continue.
The two governments should seriously consider the possibility
of establishing a Eminent Persons Group (EPG) comprising an equal number of
eminent citizens from both Malaysia and Singapore to devise a formula to
resolve outstanding bilateral differences or a mechanism to deal with them
without any loose talk and sabre-rattling from either side.
The EPG should be given a time-frame from two to three weeks to
complete its recommendations and to give Malaysia and Singapore an
opportunity to either resolve their outstanding differences or to agree on a
mechanism to seek their resolution without any war talk or sabre-rattling
from either side.
(28/1/2003)
*
Lim Kit Siang, DAP National
Chairman
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http://dapmalaysia.org