1. Yesterday the Singapore PM and his Malaysian counter part, Najib announce that both government will start a study to evaluate the possibility of building a third bridge between Singapore and Johor. Personally, I question the motives and the need to build such a structure between two countries, more so when we have very weak relationship bridge with Singapore. The focus should be strengthening and improving the social and emotional bridge between the people of the two nations.
2. Firstly, we must accept that people does not live forever. Unfortunately, Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) may just break the laws of nature. Either in the physical form or his ideological form, LKY will continue dominate the way things are done in Singapore and their perception of their neighbours.
3. This year alone I have made several work related trips to Singapore. Physically, I envy Singapore town planners and the way they do things. They do things based on facts and studies. Unfortunately the Singapore population is very dynamic. Currently more than 1/3rd of the island population are foreigners. I asked a friend who travelled regularly worldwide and he says that Singapore public transport is the best in the world.
4. The locals that can afford it has move on to another country. The new immigrants of Singapore are not bothered. They have no interest in politics. The politics in Singapore is within a small number of elite people who are basically the same group of people and their families since the 1965. As it is, there are many Malaysians who has become Singaporeans and hold political office.
5. In developing relations with our neighbours, I would say that Malaysian accommodating behaviour, easily charmed by good PR is Malaysian greatest weakness. Singapore greatest strength is its conduct of calculating every single bit in negotiation. What Singapore has is something that Malaysia does not have.
6. We need to look our bilateral relationship in a different norm. It has always been that Malaysia is making the first move. Malaysia approach is always development centric. I do not understand why there is a need to address bilateral relation via development. We seem too hard up for their support in any development that we want to do.
7. I do not see the logic for us to build a third link with Singapore. It will benefit them. It will benefit their air travel, goods and services industry. Instead of strengthening our own services, we are giving them the advantage to them. We are pound foolish and penny wise.
8. In reality, Singapore is totally dependent on our exports and our population needs. It is because the 27 million mouth in Malaysia that is supporting the Singapore ports. It is our many industries that are supporting their exports as well. Unfortunately when we deal with Thailand, we do not have this approach.
9. We need to move away from this approach of developing relationship with Singapore. Not all problems must be solved immediately. The water agreement issue will expire on its own naturally. The rail lines can always be maintained. If we don’t want it, we could always sell it off either in piecemeal or as a whole. The causeway need not be maintained if do not want it. Let it rot on its own naturally. Strengthen our ports and services industry on our own. Make strategic move to ensure that goods do not go out via Singapore.
10. We need to treat Singapore as a friend and neighbour. Singapore also needs to reciprocate in the same manner. There are many ways to improve relationship and using development and approaching relationship with the concept of quid pro quo method is not the best way. Malaysian leaders must change our approach.
Dear Dr. Rafickk,
Yes, I ate those “grown in Spore rambutan” because I bought them in Beijing where I was/am working.
If not due to the marketing network of the enterprising Singaporeans, our wonderful rambutan would not be available in Bj, don’t you think?
We don’t have the marketing networks and our businessmen are not enterprsing enough to develop them . Everyone is thinking short term and everyone is parking their hard earned money oversea. That is the sad truth.
Why begrudge those hard working sporean businemen who buy our rambutans and re-export them oversea. We can do the same by buying spore product and re-export them to the world.
What kind of singapore products do you have in mind…
A NEW Bridge linking eastern Johore to eastern S’pore will benefit Johoreans/Msians MORE than S’poreans. Why?
Because on the eastern part of S’poreans it is mostly residential areas and on the eastern part of Johore are the tourist attractions-Kota Tinggi Waterfalls, Desaru, Tioman and other sandy beaches which attracts S’poreans.
The JAM at the Causeway are caused by the LORRIES! Daily hundreds of Lorries transport Msian goods to S’pore. In the day an EXTRA Lane is always provided for these Lorries. Imagine how much Msian goods are EXPORTED to S’pore for perisable goods to bricks, etc.
Goods are not sent to singapore for local consumption. It is mainly for re export. Have you seen rambutan being sold and labelled as “product of singapore”
i’m from jb.
do you know how much of jb’s economy is dependent on singaporeans?
half the restaurants in jb are open because of sporeans who spend money. the petrol stations also earn a lot of money. not to mention the fact that sporeans often go to msia for holidays.
the average singaporean who goes to msia blows a lot of money on goods and services because of the exchange rate differences. this generates a lot! of money for jb/tourist businesses.
opening a 3rd bridge benefits us much more. it won’t benefit their air travel. it will benefit senai airport much more as sporeans would rather fly from senai because airport fees are much cheaper than changi. especially for budget flights.
also more msians can commute in to sg and earn money there and bring back to spend.
We rakyat Malaysia, for or against BN / PR, or neutral,
have collectively dugged the hole we are in now.
We need to work to get out of this hole, and to achieve our common objective:
A SAFE & PROSPEROUS MALAYSIA!
One way forward is to adopt the Chinese saying:
Xiu-Shen (修身 keep fit physically, intellectually & morally),
Qi-Jia (齐家 look after your family),
Zhi-Tian-Xia (治天下 run the government / rule the nation).
Step one XiuShen:
READ
THINK
PRACTISE, with
DISCIPLINE
This can be done now, right away.
Argue all we want about BN, PR, Singapore, etc, but please help to make it easy to XiuShen:
Build / Upgrade libraries!
with
Condusive environment
Ample books, magazines & journals, print or digital
Easy Access
Let the libraries be the iconic buildings in our cities, towns, villages and kampongs!
Thank you.
[...] Building bridges… 1. Yesterday the Singapore PM and his Malaysian counter part, Najib announce that both government will start a study to [...] [...]
aa ya, tak da jambatan mana ada “Jalan”? tak ada “Jalan” mana ada “Makan”…?
It’s all about economics.
Please come to JB immigration check point & causeway, in the morning and evening, during working days.
Many of us living in Johor Bahru and vicinity commute to Singapore for our bread & butter.
Everything being equal, we would want to work in Johor and save the daily hassle.
Thank you.
The problem of traffic congestion at the causeway is not because of the causeway is too narrow or a new bridge needs to be built to ease the flow of traffic. The problem lies with the Customs & Immigration check point. This is the problem which causes the bottle neck that resulted in traffic jams.
Sad to say, Dr sahab, Malaysian politicians are so embroiled in thier personal gains that they don’t realise what they are saying and what they are doing wrong for the country. I totally agree with you that this country should expand it’s ports an other international routes to market our own resources. Why build so many bridges. Isn’t the second link good enough.
We should encourage Singapore companies to open thier offices here in Johore if they want to trade our natural resources. The priority should be our ports, our manpower.
What make singapore standup, have you ever wonder. Everything is relativity, if singapore is situated in Europe, or USA, or China, or Middle East, then where do U think is singapore, just a peanut.
singapore stand up because we stood low. If we stand up then singapore is just peanut.
I worked and lived in Singapore for the past 5 years, my two cents comments on this pls., ..any business or national interests dealing, the scale are purely rest on economic and military muscle.
Does Singapore needs M’sia support, a big NO either financially or militarily. Does M’sia needs S’pore helps, financial a big yes..the Iskandar and etc..clear sign of we need their support. hard to imagine how can a big resourced rich country needs to warm up to a small country. Sad but truth – I blamed it squarely on the corrupted, incompetence and self centre politicians !!
So why Singapore want to warm up relationship now? They want Mat Selamat back at singapore soil (the Singapore terrosrist captured in M’sia). They need him badly, to assert their authority/influence over M’sia and by hence doing, pacify their heartland voters and reiterate their capability on security to external investor.
What can we do..absolutely nothing, once they acheive what they want..believe me Iskandar dev. or the bridge will never take off. Remember the deal signed by Tun Daim and Lee Kuan Yew 18 yrs ago.. what happened? nothing
You are fighting a losing battle lah vs Singapore.
Singapore knows now how to win, squeeze Malaysias PM by the balls, right now Najis punya is they have the Altantuya pics.
Wait, every single UMNO potential leader they already have the full dossier’!!!!
Why build one? We should actually build 3 or 4 more bridges in addition to what was discussed.
Most strategically, one from Pasir Gudang; so we can increase the traffic for our shipping capacity in Pasir Gudang with our lower rate (currency). Imagine that we are able to capture 10% of the volume from Singapore !!! Now you can see how our multi-purpose port can benefit from this. I am sure the Ministry of Trade, YB Dato’ Mustapa Mohamed, will look into this seriously.
The same must be done for Tg Pelepas. It is a port of strategic location. Having a bridge connected to Singapore will be beneficial to our trade and economy. Imagine that we are able to tap another 10% of the volume from Singapore !!!
One more is to build one from Desaru. It will make life so easy for Singaporeans to visit our local attractions in Desaru. Wah !! Could you imagine the numbers (of Singaporeans) that will be coming to Malaysia? It will give us new arrival records, an increase of foreign revenue, and new jobs created from this tourism initiative. I am sure, the Tourism Minister, YB Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen will be supportive to such initiatives.
Don’t be too short-sighted that these projects will benefit the Johoreans only. It can actually benefits the whole nation. Our recommendation is that Malaysians can buy shares of the construction companies. Prices will shoot up and everyone will benefits. Hah !! Don’t forget cement making counters such as CIMA and others.
Sorry corrections:
“And then blame others because it is our fault for not seizing on new opportunities?”
Sorry to say your attitude is taking on the extreme.
The additional bridge (new or widening) is going to benefit Singapore more and so shouldn’t?
Why cannot it benefit us also? Why cannot we maximise any benefits from more interaction better communications?
And then blame others because it is our fault for seizing on new opportunities?
You might just as well say say within our coconut shell and have no link with other countries because it will benefit others more.
Dear Achoo
We need to study the economic benefits of such relationship. In this case it the benefits on our end is lower. For RM X spend we need certain IRR. I think the money is best spend in other means. My article is about relationship of the two countries which appears to be only about economics and not others. It appears to be too development centric. May be you should read again..
Dear Dr. Rafick,
I overwhelmingly agree with what you have written. I too wrote a article titled ‘Singapore’s Success – Malaysia’s Failure’ in my blog dated Oct 7, 2008. Please view http://www.mindnoevil.blogspot.com
The fault with our leaders is that they are too engross with politics, self interest and are not quite willing to listen and learn from others. For as long as our leaders remained self centered in their thinking. we will continue to remain as what we are today………politiking and nothing more.