That’s no apology, LKY! 
Malaysiakini
Oct  3, 2006
Soon Li Tsin

Was Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew sincere in extending an apology to Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi over the contentious remark that Chinese Malaysians are being marginalised?

Political commentators offer their take on his gesture.

James Wong Wing On, malaysiakini chief analyst

Lee Kuan Yew did indeed say sorry but he was smart as he did not retract what he said. In fact, he added some more issues in his letter involving (former premier) Dr Mahathir (Mohamed) and the half-bridge.
What he has said is, “Your politicians, including (Umno Youth deputy head) Khairy (Jamaluddin) and Mahathir, always talk bad about Singapore and the marginalised Malays there; all I did was to tell you what you’ve been doing.”

You must understand that the meaning of ‘sorry’ is not necessarily an apology. An apology normally comes with an expression of regret and remorse. Instead, Lee merely said the word ‘sorry’ and added more.

P Ramasamy, former political economy professor

To me the fact of marginalisation is obvious. It doesn’t matter if it comes from Lee or not. There are Malays and non-Malays who are marginalised in Malaysia. You can look at the Chinese, Orang Asli or Eurasians and to some extent the Malays - they have not enjoyed any benefits.

It is a fact and it must be accepted, rather than just complain about it. It has been going on for a long time. Who cares if it’s from Lee? It is a problem that we must address.

Don’t focus on what Lee said. We must ask, are Malaysians happy? Is there national unity and integration? He must have had his reasons for saying what he said.

Mahathir too has said so many bad things about Singapore and Singaporeans have never reacted. Why are Malaysians reacting now?

We should not blow this matter out of proportion. We should look at the marginalisation in our own backyard.

Rustam Sani, former university lecturer in political sociology

This type of controversy will come around every few years. Both sides use the other to garner support in their own country.

When Singapore feels weak, it will come down hard on the opposition. If Umno Malays need support, as seen during (former deputy premier) Anwar Ibrahim’s case when the government was weakened, they pointed fingers at Singapore in order to regain support.

He (Lee) was not saying ‘sorry’ for what he said. He justified what he is saying by claiming he was then speaking to foreigners. His justification was, ‘I have to do this because you Umno leaders have made statements before on the Malays in Singapore.’

Both countries practise this racist perspective and will apologise over and over again, but (such situations) will still come back.