5/05/2013

A big stride in Singapore Malaysia relations





Since the sealing of the new land swap deal between Hsien Loong and Najib, relations between the two states have improved beyond anyone’s imagination. There wer more joint developments and more meetings and friendlier comments on both sides, patting each other’s back. This is definitely good for both countries going forward and for people to people relations. Iskandar Economic Zone now got a big boost with Singapore becoming the anchor tenant and biggest investors.

I know things are looking good and fine but did not know that it could be that fine until yesterday when Abdul Ghani, the incumbent Mentri Besar of Johore, paid a friendly visit using the second causeway from Gelang Patah.  This is not all. It was reported that it was part of his election campaign to woo Malaysians working in Singapore. And I thought Lim Kit Siang too would make the same friendly gesture. But he chickened out, did not want to give the wrong impression and be accused of as a branch of the Singapore PAP. DAP has its root in PAP during the days when Singapore was in Malaysia.

So we will miss seeing this grand old politician from across the causeway in Jurong. Let’s hope this friendliness will continue and come 2016, our ministers can visit Iskandar to campaign among the Singaporeans working or staying there. Iskander is likely to see the presence of many more Singaporeans and could justify a visit by the contesting candidates.

This is a good start for a closer Singapore Malaysia relationship. Nice. Singaporeans should not kick a row about applying for police permit to campaign in Singapore. Malaysia could also then extend the same courtesy to our politicians in the next GE. Let’s be abang adek again.

And it is good that no negative retorts were heard when Najib said that there was no Chinese school in Singapore. In the past there would be some rash reactions to a comment like that from either side of the causeway. Our relationship with Malaysia has matured to some degree.

Further improvements are hopeful. If travelling could be made more convenient, Singaporeans more warmly received, more Singaporeans would be selling their HDB flats and buy up properties in Malaysia. This would be a win win solution. Singaporeans could make a killing by selling out their million dollar HDB flats to FTs, and Malaysian developers benefiting from selling more properties to Singaporeans.

A slight drawback is that Singaporeans that sold their HDB flats would never have the chance to buy another property in Singapore again. The prices would be beyond them. They would be perpetual PRs in Malaysia, and may be better to take up Malaysian citizenship if they are welcomed to do so. Malaysia will also see a property boom but this will lead to some inflation and higher cost of living, and jams at the two crossings. With the larger land mass, these changes could easily be absorbed unlike a small island like Singapore.

Overall it would be good for Singapore with Singapore island becoming the land of rich foreigners and FTs, a great vibrant city, while Singaporeans migrate over to Malaysia. Singaporeans can also move nearer to the nursing homes in Johore as well as landed properties for after life.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Politics make strange bedfellows.

I wonder if Najib had to apply for a police permit for campaigning in Singapore?

Anonymous said...

Isn't a gathering of more than one person, an illegal assembly?

Let's hope our police will not mistake it for an illegal strike.

Anonymous said...

The better the relation, the better it is for the People of both countries.
Best is both become one.

virgo49 said...

1965 Separation comes full circle.

At that time many had to make choice whether to be holding the pink ics of Sin or blue of MAl as citizens.

Next forty odd years, Sinkies thought they are better off with their standard of living than their poorer Malaysian cousins.

Next the Malaysians had their last laugh that Sinkies are languishing behind and been overtaken by the foreign trashes.

Many had to be prepared to apply for PRs residences come 2016 if we are unable to kick out the PAP.

So the saying, He who laugh last laugh best is very apt

agongkia said...

Najeeb is still the best.He has done a good job that many cannot see.Not easy to find such capable leader.
I love Malaysia.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Najib is quite progressive.

The best is still Yudhoyono. He could turn Indonesia into a modern China economic dynamo that no Indonesian leaders have done.

virgo49 said...

Dear Agongkia,

Your beloved najib kor only has only twelve more hours as interim PM.

Afterwhich Anwar Ibrahim shall be the new PM.

Najib T-shirt"BOSS" would be replaced by Anwar's T-Shirt "BOSS SINI"

Cheers

denk said...

many malaysian chinese vote opposition coz they perceive bn as *prejudiced* against chinese
be careful what u wish for my friends, the opposition is heavily backed by the evil empire, which reckon the najib government as too *china friendly*
http://nilebowie.blogspot.sg/2013/04/us-seeks-allied-regime-in-malaysia-as.html
history shows that pro us government is dangerous to its chinese citizens.
think indonesia 1965 !
i'll let readers figure out themselves what other pro us governments have been screwing its chinese constituents !

Anonymous said...

Like Singapore.

The said...

/// And I thought Lim Kit Siang too would make the same friendly gesture. But he chickened out, did not want to give the wrong impression and be accused of as a branch of the Singapore PAP. ///

For this, you have to thank the ultra racist Mahathir who keeps sprouting the lies that DAP is the Trojan Horse left behind by the PAP. (Shouldn't it be the Singaporean Horse, since we are not Troy?)

http://chedet.cc/?p=977#more-977

http://chedet.cc/?p=963#comments

Anonymous said...

It is good to change ruling party once a while so that the government will not become a crony and greed can be contained. A bit of mess, conflict, instability are needed for more good things to be accomplished.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Malaysia is not the problem. It has never been a problem. I enjoy Malaysia very much. In fact, I'm in KL at the moment -- and it is EMPTY -- people have returned to their "kampungs" to vote -- a large majority of those in KL come from elsewhere in Malaysia.

Over the last few days I have gotten so many opinions from friends to acquaintances, to the pondan who cut my hair at Pavilion about Najib, his wife, their cronies, The Old Puppet Master Dr Mahathir...and their antics in the very very deliciously corrupt Malaysian political economy. Oh man have these folks been busy. And they've all amassed HUGE SUMS OF MONEY from the people.

No, Malaysia is not the problem.

UMNO, is and has always been THE PROBLEM .

I won't say anymore, so I'll stop there. One time I tekan UMNO in a very offensive manner, redbean removed my post -- as it is his prerogative.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

P.S. Google: Asalkan Bukan UMNO, ABU or in English 'Anything But UMNO'.

Even Malays are sick and tired of UMNO.

Do the locals in Malaysia hate UMNO as much as the local Singaporeans hate the PAP?

I think it is a very interesting situation ;-)

agongkia said...

@Virgo49
I always tell my neighbouring cousin that he may face the risk and possibility of having his kk bird potong if he kenna charge for flirting with the wrong person,if he support the wrong person.

Virgo 49 said...

@agongkia

Potong kk chiao in state of kelantan only

Besides kelantan, secular states even in trengganu.

PAS would not implement lah, say only.

They even now have Chinese candidate under their banner.

Been in kelantan operating a business. You be surprised how moderate they are. The younger generation behaves same as others in other countries with their jeans apparels, execption the tudang.

Stayed there fir quite a while, the Chinese there are comfortable with them.

So potong kk chiao no threat. Only the foreskin maybe need to potong only if you want to have a Muslim wife

denk said...

Anonymous
* Like Singapore.*

2030 is already here my friend
just take a look around u
every time u take a bus or mrt