Former Malaysian ambassador to Uzbekistan, Redzuan Kushairi said Singapore was trying to exploit the situation by playing up perceived “threats” from Malaysia, following a visit by Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian to a Malaysian government vessel which Singapore said was parked on its territorial waters, an area which forms part of the new Johor port limits announced by Malaysia.
Wisma Putra has since said that it had never approved Osman’s action.
Osman’s visit, which came shortly after both Singapore and Malaysia agreed to scale down tensions by both sides withdrawing from the disputed waters, was condemned by Singapore, threatening to disrupt further negotiations between the neighbours.
“The fact that Putrajaya and the Johor menteri besar are not on the same page makes it appear as if we are so disorganised,” said Redzuan, adding that there was a need to engage in quiet diplomacy rather than going to the media.
Redzuan agreed that Osman’s action can be questioned.
“There have been many other instances where there seemed to have been poor coordination,” he added.
Redzuan said the strong reactions from Singapore ministers following Osman’s visit were not surprising. He said they were expected coming from a government which has been in power for too long and which feels the heat everytime general election nears.
Singapore’s next parliamentary general election must be held by 15 January 2021.
“When a government has problems with the electorate, in this case being too long in power, one of the favourite and easiest choices is create or play up on a ‘foreign threat ‘ or ‘enemy ‘ as a diversion and at the same time stoke nationalist sentiments to get renewed public support.
“A very dangerous game is being played,” Redzuan told FMT.
He added while Singapore had advanced so much, it was still not allowing the natural process of democracy to take place.
“This process of renewal cannot be planned or orchestrated or micro-managed. Singapore may be in danger of doing just that,” he said.
Singapore Institute of International Affairs fellow Oh Ei Sun said the response from Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishan and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen as well as Wisma Putra’s reprimand of Osman, showed that both countries were being forthright in addressing the dispute.
He said the reprimand indicated that Malaysia did not want to jeopardise the “otherwise positive progress” of bilateral negotiations.
He said that he did not foresee heightening tensions between the two countries.
“There is an unwritten but established pattern of handling such bilateral disputes: loud public proclamations of each other’s positions followed by bilateral negotiations, failing which there would usually be referrals to international adjudication or arbitration,” he said.
“In short, what they are doing now is nothing out of the ordinary.”