"If he had done that, I think I would have stopped any further supply," Dr Mahathir said in an article posted in his blog today.
Mahathir however admitted that he had persuaded Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to supply water to Singapore when the latter was Johor Mentri Besar.
"Tan Sri Muhyiddin spoke the truth about my persuading him to supply water to Singapore.
"But Lee Kuan Yew did not threaten to go to war if we did not supply water. If he had done that, I think I would have stopped any further supply," Dr Mahathir said when commenting on Muhyiddin's statement on Aug 19 that he (Dr Mahathir) had summoned him to attend a meeting with Lee over gas pipeline and water supply issues in Kuala Lumpur.
Muhyiddin had said that during the meeting between Dr Mahathir, the then finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, Lee and himself, Lee had pressed for adequate water supply to the republic from Johor.
"Lee said Singapore was ready to go to war if Malaysia did not want to supply enough water, and expressed his regret over the stalled water supply project from Sungai Lingu," said Muhyiddin
"I said we did not have the money and Lee said Singapore was willing to bear the cost and, when completed, the assets will be owned by Malaysia, so Singapore had merely footed the bill," he said at a ceramah in Tanjung Putus, Bukit Mertajam, during the campaign in the Permatang Pasir state by-election to clarify allegations by the opposition that he (Muhyiddin) had sold a piece of land to Singapore in connection with the water treatment plant in Sungai Lingu, Bandar Tenggara, Johor.
Dr Mahathir said in his blog he did not know about the sale of land to Singapore, but as it was agreed that a treatment plant be built by Singapore in Johor, land would have to be made available.
"We were at that time trying to be friendly with Singapore in order to solve several problems. Although raw water would be supplied at 3 sen per 1,000 gallons, the understanding was that in future only treated water would be supplied when our treatment plants would be ready," said Mahathir.
"We would also not buy any more treated water from Singapore at 50 sen per thousand gallons when our new treatment plant in Johor is ready. When we no longer needed to buy treated water from Singapore we could raise the price of raw water to Singapore without Singapore being able to raise the price of treated water to us," he added.
"However, when we concluded the water supply agreement, Singapore raised a lot of issues regarding our railway land, the CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) at Tanjong Pagar, training flights by Singapore warplanes over Malaysia and the Central Provident Fund. "
At that stage, I realised that being friendly with Singapore did not pay," Dr Mahathir added. -- BERNAMA
Singapore, Singapore. How would it sound if it
ReplyDeleteis Penang, Penang. If LKY had made Penang his
base, Malaysia should be uncomfortable about Penang as towards S'pore today. Singapore is so so small and yet...like I say don't worrylah. Singaporeans has many top Malaysian brains in their hands, so talk Malaysian to themlah. I am sure they understand!
Also, something is wrong somewhere. Singapore is so Malaysian and yet so Singaporean. Therefore, they do understand Malaysian but something need to be done to really make them
ReplyDeleteunderstand so that we don't feel so heartsick.
Malaysians care so much about Singaporeans yet
Singaporeans are Singaporeans. They what about
Beijing and Tokyo? Got an idea. Negotiate with
Jet Li, the Mainlander Hollywood star who became a Singaporean recently. Something is wrong somewhere to make Jet Li squats in Singapore. Dr Mahathir, I know you are not an actor but Jet Li is a different big Singaporean guy. Bringing a big fleet of army to star in a Hollywood movie is wonderous. I
just can't get over it how he can gave up his
Chinese citizenship and ended up in a land without paddy fields. Is it predictable that
he actually ending up in Malaysia? HAHAHA
Before I forget, Dr Mahathir, in order to win
ReplyDeletethe hearts of these former Malaysians or so called Singaporeans, can you please learn to
speak a few words of Mandarin for them? Don't
worrylah. Chinese people can't sinninize you,
if you won't want. I just feel the need to recollect the mass that we drained. A lot.
They can really help if given the right psychological woo. Thank you very much.
Dr Mahathir, did you receive the invitation
ReplyDeletecard that I sent to you and Dr Siti Hasmah to
come and eat rojak at my place? I just wish both of you would come! Thank you. Oh, yes, bring your daughter, sorry I forget how to
address her, Marina Mahathir. If not, the Uncle Rojak says I will be forever insane. Please comelah. I just can't go to your place
because I think you must come here first. I just waitla.....
Dr Mahathir, I have contacted BAM for the match between PKR and UMNO. Anyone can use the badminton facility at my place if needed. The court has given me the idea. So, do you see how precious is the site is to me? The neighbourhood grew up with it. Can't imagine if the line is extended to Subang from Kelana Jaya. The illegal parking will be more worse as it is now as people travelling to Subang from Taman Bahagia Station will add to the congestion we are having now. Can you please stop the connection line to be carried out for
ReplyDeletethe sake of perservation? Thank you, Dr Mahathir.