Malaysia, Singapore Identify Specific Issues on Bridge Proposal
Bernama – 5 February 2006

Malaysia and Singapore have identified specific issues in their negotiations for the proposed construction of a bridge to replace the 80-year-old causeway.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the officials involved in the discussions are narrowing them down.He described the issues including the trade-offs Singapore was hoping to get for agreeing to the bridge as something that could take the negotiations off the ground based on general agreements from both sides.

"I think we would like our officials to continue their discussions on the subject that has been narrowed down," he told reporters here at the end of the two-day Minister of Foreign Affairs-Wisma Putra Games.
Syed Hamid said: "Before our leaders could meet, I think the intention is not for the leaders to be negotiative...it's for the officials to crystallise the issue. Only then we present it to our leaders -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Senior Minister (Goh Chok Tong) for consideration."
Asked on the timeframe for the negotiations, Syed Hamid said the foreign ministers of both countries have the timeline in their mind but would rather not discuss it in the open for time being.
"All these need to be crystallised properly. Once we have done so, then we will let it be known. It's easier to be that way...it's very difficult to be in the limelight," he said, adding that both he and his Singapore counterpart George Yeo would like to see the negotiations accelerated as "it cannot go on forever" without a decision.

Saturday night, Syed Hamid met Yeo for about 40 minutes in an informal discussion during which both leaders agreed to continue negotiations for a full bridge to replace the causeway.

"I have to be very clear the discussion is on the full bridge, not on the "half bridge" or "scenic bridge"," he said.
Syed Hamid said Malaysia would, however, proceed with "whatever we are doing at present" such as soil investigations as they were technical work within the Malaysian waters.

The Malaysian media had recently reported about Malaysia's plan to go ahead with the construction of half of the bridge, hence the term "half bridge", as it could not go on negotiating for a full bridge with Singapore but not getting any decision.

During discussions with Yeo, Syed Hamid said he expressed the sensitivities and the interests of the Malaysian public over the issue.

"But as far as Malaysia is concern, it is not the question of trying to gain scores or to make points. We are just working on something acceptable to both sides. I think we have stressed to the Malaysian public that whatever we do, it will be in our national interests. We will not compromise the interests of Malaysia," he said.

On the overall Malaysia-Singapore relations, Syed Hamid said: "I think we are very satisfied with the fact that the bilateral relations have been based on very strong feelings of the need to work for our mutual benefits".
The two-day annual foreign ministry games hosted by Singapore this time, ended with a golf tournament with Syed Hamid teeing-off with Yeo under the same team at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club in Changi.
Syed Hamid said he had a good game but "the course was difficult".
Source: Bernama | www.bernama.com