Diplomatic rift with Malaysia unlikely to be over soon: Singapore foreign minister

The tussle over air and sea boundaries will not have a ‘smooth or quick resolution’, according to Vivian Balakrishnan

His comments come after the island nation postponed a meeting with its northern neighbour following ‘provocative’ actions by a Malaysian official

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has blamed the island state’s larger neighbour, Malaysia, for a “downward spiral” in ties between the countries. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:38pm, 14 Jan 2019Updated: 10:07pm, 14 Jan 2019

Singapore’s diplomatic rift with Malaysia over airspace and maritime boundaries is unlikely to go away soon, the Lion City’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Monday, as he blamed the island state’s larger neighbour for a “downward spiral” in ties.

And while a “provocative” step by one Malaysian official had derailed recent efforts to lower the cross-border temperature, Singapore remained committed to resolving the issues amicably, Balakrishnan told lawmakers in parliament.

[Malaysia’s actions] ‘created the risk for a dangerous downward spiral of measures and countermeasures’

The minister’s comments dismissing the possibility of a quick fix meanwhile mirrored the findings of a survey of Singaporeans on the issue, a leading local pollster said.

Analysts suggested one reason for the current impasse was a disconnect on Singapore policy between the Malaysian federal government led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the state government of Johor, the Malaysian state bordering the city state.

Balakrishnan’s briefing of the legislature on the row followed Singapore’s 11th-hour decision to postpone a high-level meeting between the two sides, which was to have taken place on Monday, citing provocations from Malaysia.

“I do not expect a quick or smooth resolution to all these issues,” Balakrishnan said, according to local media.

He said Malaysia’s actions “created the risk for a dangerous downward spiral of measures and countermeasures”.

The air boundary row is over Malaysia’s objections to a Singaporean plan to broadcast a new radar system over the state of Johor. Photo: James Wendlinger