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Tensions In South East Asia May Trigger War, Says Malaysian Military Expert
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 3 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Tensions between Malaysia and Singapore over water supply and Malaysia and Indonesia on the massive deportation of foreign workers from Malaysia might ignite the region, Malaysian military observers said on Saturday.
An AFP report on Saturday indicated that a former military chief in Malaysia said a military conflict may ignite between Malaysia and Singapore over the issue of water supply.
Zaini Mohammad Said, a former lieutenant-general of the Malaysian army, said in an interview published in a Malay language daily in Kuala Lumpur, Mingguan Malaysia, that the close ties between people of the two members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were insufficient to prevent a military conflict.
He urged caution from the political leaders of the two neighboring countries, saying the issue must be addressed so that a military conflict is avoided.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on January 28 that Singapore had been delaying negotiations and that "the longer talks are prolonged, the more money Malaysia will lose."
He also said that Malaysia had long been underpaid for water supplied to Singapore, and that Kuala Lumpur now wanted a reasonable price but that Singapore has refused.
On Saturday Singapore rejected the allegations. It also rejected the idea that the talks were stalled because it did not want to settle the matter.
Senior Minister and veteran politician in Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew made a much publicized visit to Malaysia last year to discuss the issue with Mahathir.
At that time the two nations seemed to have found a solution but the matter continued to drag to the current level of tension. Singapore desperately needs water from Malaysia since it has limited resources. Being an island surrounded by the sea, it has limited fresh water resources.
Said said military strength was in favour of the tiny republic whose army was equipped with advanced gadgets. "Its (Singapore's) structure and (war) doctrine is offensive in nature," he said.
Singapore obtains half of its daily water needs from Malaysia's neighboring Johor state. Its two water agreements with Malaysia expire in 2011 and 2061.
Water supply has been one of a number of issues which have created friction between the two neighbors since Singapore became independent from the Malaysian Federation in 1965.
Malaysia is also facing diplomatic problems with Indonesia over the deportation of Indonesian workers from Malaysia. It has decided to half the number of the Indonesian workforce in the country after a series of violent clashes involving foreign workers.
Alarming reports from the Indonesian press has caused discomfort among Malaysian leaders. Several recent editorials in Indonesian newspapers have called Malaysia an “ingrate” nation that made use of Indonesian workers in the past only to forget their contribution in the rise of the Malaysian economy.
Malaysian deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi expressed hope on Saturday that the Indonesian government would not be influenced by media reports on Malaysia's stand on Indonesian workers in the country.
The Minister said he believed Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri also understood the issue and would not be influenced by media reports which could strain relations between the two countries.
"The Indonesian President would better understand (the situation), given her wisdom to tackle whatever issues and statements published...but the important thing is I hope this issue will not reach a stage of jeopardizing our good relations with Indonesia. And the Malaysian government has no intention to strain the good relations which we have established together," he told reporters after closing the Terengganu Umno Convention in Kuala Lumpur Saturday.
One editorialist said Malaysia knew its economy was thriving even more because of the unlimited supply of cheap and easily exploitable Indonesian workers.
Where Indonesians were concerned, action was taken against those who had committed offences, including entering Malaysia illegally, he said.
"We hope Indonesia will understand that what we are saying is not directed at all of Indonesia...any Indonesian in Malaysia who commits an offence will have to face action,” he pointed out.
However in Indonesia, the decision to consider Indonesian workers as the last resort for Malaysia and the cutting of the Indonesian workforce by half is considered an insult to the country.
The Indonesian editorialists reminded Malaysia of the limited military confrontation between the two countries in the 1960s. Megawati’s father, Ahmad Sukarno, was the president of Indonesia.
“We are not suggesting that Indonesia go on the war path again with Malaysia, but the least Megawati's government could do is take a stronger stand on the question of Indonesian workers in Malaysia, and make its displeasure at Kuala Lumpur's ruling known to the Malaysian and Indonesian public,” an editorial urged, sparking debate over the Indonesian anger at Malaysia.
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