It was responding to media queries on discussions between Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his counterpart Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is in the country on a two-day official visit.
“Both sides expressed their differing views on the right to review the price of water under the 1962 Water Agreement,” a ministry spokesman said in a statement late yesterday.
Mahathir earlier revealed that the 1962 Water Agreement was one of the matters raised during his meeting with Lee.
“We raised some of the issues which were regarded as controversial in the past,” he told members of the Malaysian media.
I thought, I have to state our stand on it. I think by and large, he (Lee) was quite accommodating.
“He listened to my views and I think he is more open to discussing these things than before… before, they just rejected all efforts at renegotiation,” he said.
When asked whether Singapore had agreed to revise the current price, Mahathir said: “They didn’t say they agree, but at least they appear to be willing to state their case and for us to state our case.”
He said officials from both countries would meet for further discussions on the matter.
The bilateral talks, held at The Istana here yesterday, were the first between the two leaders.
Singapore’s foreign affairs ministry said they had held a wide-ranging discussion on bilateral and regional issues during their meeting.