Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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SINGAPORE (Oct 14): “What happens in Malaysia is very important to us… but that is not the main strategic change – that is the imperative for the plans that we are unfolding right now in Singapore,” says its Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.

He was responding to a question on what are the opportunities and challenges after May 9, the day the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition won the 14th general election, ending Barisan Nasional’s 60 over years of ruling the country.

“I don’t date everything to May 9,” Dr Balakrishnan said to Malaysian journalists who participated in the 13th Malaysian Journalists Visit Programme during a meeting session recently.

Pakatan Harapan is made up of four parties – Bersatu, DAP, PKR and Amanah.

“The most important thing right now is the evolving bilateral relationship between the US and China... It is still unfolding in front of us.

“The US and Europe are our biggest source of foreign direct investment… Trade is three times our gross domestic product. Any trade war – even trade tensions – is a cause of great concern for us. All that didn’t change on 9 May for us,” he stressed.

At the same time, Dr Balakrishnan noted that Singapore is in the midst of restructuring its economy and working on leadership succession in the next few years.

“That didn’t change on 9 May for us,” he said.

Dr Balakrishnan was fielded with questions and was also asked on his opinion about Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's prime minister-in-waiting who recently said that Singapore-Malaysia ties "will improve" in the coming years.

“Yes, we are glad that he has indicated that he views good bilateral relations as something necessary and positive for us,” he said.

However, Dr Balakrishnan noted that from time to time in any mature relations, there will be cause of differences, point of agreements and opportunities.

“To me, I don’t view any particular issue as something that will derail the larger strategic relationship. So yes, it’s good for leaders to say they want good relations, but I look beyond individual leaders,” he said.


 
 

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