New quarrels, old scars: Mahathir’s Malaysia and Singapore dispute air and sea boundaries
- A radar system in the Lion City that will bring low-flying jets over Johor has rattled Kuala Lumpur
- But the city state says its northern neighbour has repeatedly intruded into Singaporean waters
The development was the first major low point in the bilateral relationship since the May election in which former prime minister Najib Razak, often viewed as friendly to Singapore, was ousted.
One Malaysian analyst told This Week in Asia the veteran politician might be using Singapore as an external bogeyman as domestic pressure intensifies for his new government.
Tuesday’s salvo of accusation and counter-accusation was kicked off by Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke, as he told parliament in the morning that the government was angered by Singapore’s unilateral decision to broadcast a new radar system in its secondary civilian airport.
The Instrument Landing System would require planes landing at Selatar Airport to make their approach over the southern Malaysian state of Johor – inconveniencing residents and jeopardising a seaport there.
