http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...ysia-not-for-nostalgia--the-malaysian-insider
The Malaysian Insider, 3 Jun 2009
LKY visits Malaysia, not for nostalgia — The Malaysian Insider
UNE 3 — Lee Kuan Yew — the father of modern Singapore — will visit Malaysia next week, touring several states and meeting with a number of Malaysian leaders and senior journalists in what has been billed as a trip down memory lane.
But there is nothing nostalgic about the trip for the longest-serving Singapore prime minister, senior minister and now minister mentor. He has been at the helm of Singapore since 1959, brought Singapore to form Malaysia and cried when it had to go independent in 1965.
His week-long visit is packed with meetings from the start in Kuala Lumpur where he meets MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on Monday.
A day later, he will meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Umno vice-presidents and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. And some editors of major Malaysian media.
Kuan Yew then moves to Ipoh to meet Perak Ruler Sultan Azlan Shah and Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir despite the political impasse in the silver state. His trip continues to Penang where he will pay a visit to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and other leaders of the DAP, an off-shoot of his People's Action Party (PAP) after Singapore left the federation in 1965.
The octogenarian will then cross the peninsula to the Malay heartland and meet Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and the Kelantan regent.
It will be his first face-to-face meeting with Nik Aziz, the PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan mentri besar for the past 19 years. It is a recognition by Singapore of the growing importance of the Islamist party in Malaysia.
Kuan Yew will also pay a courtesy call on Pahang's Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob.
Lightweight tourism for old times' sake it is not.
What is clear is that Kuan Yew wants to feel the pulse of the country that became Malaysia on his 40th birthday in 1963 and figure out if the political landscape will be altered drastically after the next general elections.
The unprecedented win by the opposition pact in Election 2008 where Islamists and secularists came together on a common platform to capture four more states and break Barisan Nasional's two-thirds parliamentary majority was clearly a shock to Singapore which has only known PAP rule since independence.
Much of that victory has been credited with a younger population and politicians who are savvier in connecting with them, using the Internet to overcome the mass and mainstream media controlled by the government. Much the same as in Singapore.
And since Election 2008, Singapore politicians have been wondering whether the strong showing by the Pakatan Rakyat is sustainable or whether Umno will be able to recover lost ground and triumph in the next polls.
So what happens in Malaysia is very important for Singapore, which is sandwiched between two Asean giants Malaysia and Indonesia, and has been derisively called a little red dot by some Malaysian leaders.
And of utmost importance to Kuan Yew whose pessimism about Singapore survival after being asked to leave Malaysia fuelled his determination to turn the city-state without any natural resources into one of the most developed port and financial hubs in the world.
He is someone that Malaysia can learn from. The only thing is, Lee Kuan Yew is in Malaysia to learn, for his country's future.
-----------------
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The Malaysian Insider, 3 Jun 2009
LKY visits Malaysia, not for nostalgia — The Malaysian Insider
UNE 3 — Lee Kuan Yew — the father of modern Singapore — will visit Malaysia next week, touring several states and meeting with a number of Malaysian leaders and senior journalists in what has been billed as a trip down memory lane.
But there is nothing nostalgic about the trip for the longest-serving Singapore prime minister, senior minister and now minister mentor. He has been at the helm of Singapore since 1959, brought Singapore to form Malaysia and cried when it had to go independent in 1965.
His week-long visit is packed with meetings from the start in Kuala Lumpur where he meets MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on Monday.
A day later, he will meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Umno vice-presidents and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. And some editors of major Malaysian media.
Kuan Yew then moves to Ipoh to meet Perak Ruler Sultan Azlan Shah and Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir despite the political impasse in the silver state. His trip continues to Penang where he will pay a visit to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and other leaders of the DAP, an off-shoot of his People's Action Party (PAP) after Singapore left the federation in 1965.
The octogenarian will then cross the peninsula to the Malay heartland and meet Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and the Kelantan regent.
It will be his first face-to-face meeting with Nik Aziz, the PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan mentri besar for the past 19 years. It is a recognition by Singapore of the growing importance of the Islamist party in Malaysia.
Kuan Yew will also pay a courtesy call on Pahang's Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob.
Lightweight tourism for old times' sake it is not.
What is clear is that Kuan Yew wants to feel the pulse of the country that became Malaysia on his 40th birthday in 1963 and figure out if the political landscape will be altered drastically after the next general elections.
The unprecedented win by the opposition pact in Election 2008 where Islamists and secularists came together on a common platform to capture four more states and break Barisan Nasional's two-thirds parliamentary majority was clearly a shock to Singapore which has only known PAP rule since independence.
Much of that victory has been credited with a younger population and politicians who are savvier in connecting with them, using the Internet to overcome the mass and mainstream media controlled by the government. Much the same as in Singapore.
And since Election 2008, Singapore politicians have been wondering whether the strong showing by the Pakatan Rakyat is sustainable or whether Umno will be able to recover lost ground and triumph in the next polls.
So what happens in Malaysia is very important for Singapore, which is sandwiched between two Asean giants Malaysia and Indonesia, and has been derisively called a little red dot by some Malaysian leaders.
And of utmost importance to Kuan Yew whose pessimism about Singapore survival after being asked to leave Malaysia fuelled his determination to turn the city-state without any natural resources into one of the most developed port and financial hubs in the world.
He is someone that Malaysia can learn from. The only thing is, Lee Kuan Yew is in Malaysia to learn, for his country's future.
-----------------
Latest updates at Singapore News Alternative:
1. LKY visits Malaysia, not for nostalgia
2. S'pore bank refutes Trojan attack claim
3. Singapore's Temasek sold Barclays stake
4. Tiger Airways In Airline Reality Show
5. Singapore bureaucracy best in Asia - PERC
6. Singapore to deploy weapon locating radar team in Afghanistan
7. Singapore arts thriving in financial crisis
8. Singapore Ranked 23rd In Global Peace Index 2009
9. Singapore’s PM Lee Cautious on Economic Recovery,
10. Slower bookings for Singapore F1 period.
11. Temasek, Richard Li eye AIG asset management buy
12. Occupiers’ market in Singapore for Q1 2009
13. SIA Airbus A380 makes landmark flight amid tragedy
14. SingTel Considers Move to Acquire Stake in MTN
New videos added:
1. Is Recession Over? - Bloomberg
2. The struggle behind Tiananmen
3. Peter Schiff Vlog Report - 2 Jun 09
4. Remembering the Tiananmen crackdown
.
