Singapore's Lee visits Malaysia

August 14, 2000
Web posted at: 5:29 PM HKT (0929 GMT)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Reuters) -- Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew drove into Malaysia on Monday for his first visit in a decade in an attempt to breathe some warmth into often cool relations between the two neighbors.

Lee crossed a causeway in a motorcade from the island state into southern Malaysia and was due to arrive later on Monday in Kuala Lumpur, the official Bernama news agency reported.

Singapore's elder statesman said the working visit was for him to see first hand the changes in Malaysia during the last decade, and to meet Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin and other Malaysian Cabinet ministers.

"I have no issues to raise," the Television Corporation of Singapore quoted him at the weekend as saying, dampening speculation of any deals to resolve longstanding disputes between the nations.

Malaysia's media said the visit was significant because it might be the last by modern Singapore's founding father, who is seen as still retaining influence a decade after he stepped down as prime minister.

"Analysts see the visit as a soft sell to mend fences, renew ties with important Malaysian leaders and for Lee to see himself the sea of changes that Malaysia has been through," The Sun newspaper said in a commentary on Sunday.

Lee was prime minister of Singapore from 1959 until 1990, when he stepped down and was named senior minister. The 76-year-old patriarch is a key adviser to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and a frequent emissary and spokesman of Singapore.

Lee said his visit was to see recent developments in Malaysia -- such as the new Kuala Lumpur airport, the Petronas Twin Towers and the Putrajaya federal administrative center.

Relations between the sibling states have often been strained, with land issues, Malaysia's supply of water to Singapore and the withdrawal of Malaysian funds from the city-state's pension fund still sticking points.

Singapore joined the Federation of Malaysia, a grouping of former British territories in this Southeast Asian country, in 1963. But Singapore was bitterly forced out of the pact in 1965 and Lee led his state to independence as a republic.

In an interview published by Malaysia's New Straits Times on Sunday, Lee gave his views on the opposition in Malaysia, his ties with Mahathir and perceptions about his clout in Singapore.

"I have no power because the buttons are not with me," he said. "My power comes from the record of 40 years of decision-making."

Lee enraged Malaysia in 1997 when he described the country's southern Johor state which borders Singapore as "notorious for shootings, muggings and car-jackings." A year later, he wrote a book accusing Malaysian politicians of instigating race riots in his country that killed 23 people in 1964.

The second volume of his memoirs is due out on September 16.

Lee, in an interview with Singapore media on Sunday, dismissed speculation that he was visiting Malaysia to discuss the resurgence of Islamic influences in Malaysian politics or the second volume of his memoirs.

Lee was accompanied by his wife and 10 officials on the visit, which the Malaysian government said was aimed to "enhance" bilateral ties.

He was to meet Daim on Monday, Mahathir and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar on Wednesday and Defense Minister Najib Abdul Razak a day later.

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