Syed Hamid's Revelations - Mahathir Strikes Back.
In the continuing saga of claims and counter-claims Dr M fired his next salvo from abroad at Syed Hamid. It was the foreign minister's statements in Parliament, passing the blame to Mahathir, that got tongues wagging.
But the former PM in a comprehensive, direct rebuttal aimed at Syed Hamid asked for declassification of related files. This raises the stakes to worrying levels. How the government will respond to this type of strategy by Mahathir is anyone's guess.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Saturday suggested that the Government declassify documents relating to talks between Malaysia and Singapore on the aborted bridge project.This would enable Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to provide documented proof to substantiate his claims that Malaysia, in its pursuit to build a new bridge to Singapore, did not offer the sale of sand to the republic and use of Johor airspace by the Singapore airforce planes, he said in a statement.
"If it is not true that Malaysia had proposed to sell sand to Singapore and provide airspace for warplanes to practise, then the Foreign Minister must show documented proof, including minutes of meetings and draft agreements where these proposals were made." This can be done by declassifying minutes of meetings between the Malaysia and Singapore negotiating teams to prove beyond reasonable doubt the minister's assertion.
The Official Secrets Act should not be used to hide untruths," said Dr Mahathir in response to Syed Hamid's statement in Parliament on Thursday.
In a written reply to Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, Syed Hamid had said Malaysia did not make the two offers to Singapore as claimed by Dr Mahathir. The former prime minister said without the documents, it must be assumed that Malaysia, which was pursuing the building of a straight bridge in place of a crooked or a scenic bridge decided by the previous administration of which construction had already started before it was cancelled, had made the proposal. Dr Mahathir said to his understanding, the proposal came from Malaysia and that there was nothing in writing to suggest that the request had actually originated from Singapore.
On claims by Syed Hamid that Malaysia sold sand to Singapore even during his administration, Dr Mahathir said the quantity then was small as compared to that now being offered to Singapore amounting to one billion cubic metres for 20 years. He noted that while sand was sold to Singapore during his time in office, the practice had been going on even before he became Prime Minister.
Dr Mahathir pointed out that it was he who stopped such practices which were then carried out by private entities after such practices proved detrimental to Malaysia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. "This was because extensive reclamation work by Singapore was affecting the waterways in the Straits of Tebrau," he explained.
On the issue of granting airspace access to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Dr Mahathir said the republic's air force was allowed access to Malaysia's airspace in the past. However, he decided to revoke the permission when the RSAF abused the access by flying beyond Johor airspace and conducting search and rescue missions without informing or requesting permission from the Malaysian authorities. "To allow the RSAF access again as quid-pro-quo arrangement in pursuit of a straight bridge is absolutely unacceptable especially when there is not even any reciprocity on the part of the republic to grant the Royal Malaysian Air Force jets access over Singapore airspace," he added.
**** Earlier related post: Dr Mahathir's Challenge - Government Revelations Begin.
But the former PM in a comprehensive, direct rebuttal aimed at Syed Hamid asked for declassification of related files. This raises the stakes to worrying levels. How the government will respond to this type of strategy by Mahathir is anyone's guess.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Saturday suggested that the Government declassify documents relating to talks between Malaysia and Singapore on the aborted bridge project.This would enable Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to provide documented proof to substantiate his claims that Malaysia, in its pursuit to build a new bridge to Singapore, did not offer the sale of sand to the republic and use of Johor airspace by the Singapore airforce planes, he said in a statement.
"If it is not true that Malaysia had proposed to sell sand to Singapore and provide airspace for warplanes to practise, then the Foreign Minister must show documented proof, including minutes of meetings and draft agreements where these proposals were made." This can be done by declassifying minutes of meetings between the Malaysia and Singapore negotiating teams to prove beyond reasonable doubt the minister's assertion.
The Official Secrets Act should not be used to hide untruths," said Dr Mahathir in response to Syed Hamid's statement in Parliament on Thursday.
In a written reply to Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, Syed Hamid had said Malaysia did not make the two offers to Singapore as claimed by Dr Mahathir. The former prime minister said without the documents, it must be assumed that Malaysia, which was pursuing the building of a straight bridge in place of a crooked or a scenic bridge decided by the previous administration of which construction had already started before it was cancelled, had made the proposal. Dr Mahathir said to his understanding, the proposal came from Malaysia and that there was nothing in writing to suggest that the request had actually originated from Singapore.
On claims by Syed Hamid that Malaysia sold sand to Singapore even during his administration, Dr Mahathir said the quantity then was small as compared to that now being offered to Singapore amounting to one billion cubic metres for 20 years. He noted that while sand was sold to Singapore during his time in office, the practice had been going on even before he became Prime Minister.
Dr Mahathir pointed out that it was he who stopped such practices which were then carried out by private entities after such practices proved detrimental to Malaysia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. "This was because extensive reclamation work by Singapore was affecting the waterways in the Straits of Tebrau," he explained.
On the issue of granting airspace access to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Dr Mahathir said the republic's air force was allowed access to Malaysia's airspace in the past. However, he decided to revoke the permission when the RSAF abused the access by flying beyond Johor airspace and conducting search and rescue missions without informing or requesting permission from the Malaysian authorities. "To allow the RSAF access again as quid-pro-quo arrangement in pursuit of a straight bridge is absolutely unacceptable especially when there is not even any reciprocity on the part of the republic to grant the Royal Malaysian Air Force jets access over Singapore airspace," he added.
**** Earlier related post: Dr Mahathir's Challenge - Government Revelations Begin.
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/01/2006 10:59:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home