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KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia's government on Friday declassified documents on negotiations with Singapore over an aborted bridge in a bid to counter criticism from defiant ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad.
The documents include correspondence between Mahathir and former Singapore
prime ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong over the RM620 million bridge.
Malaysia decided in April to cancel construction of the bridge.
They also include extracts of a meeting between Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Goh in March last year, the prime minister's office said in a statement.
"This is only the second time in recent history that information protected by the Official Secrets Act 1972 has been declassified and approved for public consumption," said the statement.
Malaysia cancelled the bridge after nearly a decade of negotiations, citing public opposition to Singaporean requests for the use of Malaysian airspace and for sand for reclamation projects.
The government also said it would face legal difficulties building the bridge to join the countries without Singapore's approval.
But Mahathir, who has long supported a new bridge, criticised Abdullah for the decision and accused the government of compromising Malaysia's sovereignty by broaching the sand and airspace issues.
Mahathir's attacks, which include accusations that he was "stabbed in the back" by Abdullah, have raised fears in the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) of party divisions and political instability.
Mahathir has dismissed attempts by the government to explain the decision and on July 1 challenged Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar to declassify details of the administration's dealings with Singapore.
Declassifying the extracts had put "the record straight on a string of allegations raised by the former prime minister," the statement said.
The extracts show that use of Malaysian airspace and the sale of sand were first raised under Mahathir's tenure, and that Singapore's approval was needed if the bridge was to go ahead, it said.
It also refuted accusations from Mahathir over the bridge negotiations.
Mahathir had alleged that Singapore had given a binding commitment to build the bridge.
The statement contains brief excerpts of correspondence Mahathir had with Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, and accounts of talks which appear to show the agreement was conditional on negotiations.
The statement also refutes Mahathir's stinging accusation that Malaysia was a "half past six country with no guts" for calling off the bridge.
"Simply put, the government had to make the right decision, taking into account the interest of Malaysians," it said.
Relations between the countries have been periodically rocked by disputes since Singapore was ejected from the Malaysian federation in August 1965, but Mahathir's retirement in 2003 was seen as an opportunity to rebuild ties.
Since his departure from office, relations have warmed, with more frequent high-level exchanges and an increase in cross-border investment. - AFP/ch
For the full press statement from the Malaysian government, click here.
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