<TABLE id=msgUN cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Singapore give Brunei "Specials"?</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD>Feb 26, 2009
MM Lee in Brunei
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>'Special' ties with Brunei <!--10 min-->
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Close friendship is continuing under a younger generation of leaders </TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Li Xueying, Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
</TD><TD vAlign=bottom>
PHOTO: ZAOBAO
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View more photos
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Over the past half century, Singapore and Brunei - Asean's two smallest nations - have built 'a special relationship'.
It has endured and flourished because it is based 'on mutual respect and trust, and utmost good faith', Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew noted here yesterday.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story -->Enduring relations that began in the 1960s
AT POINTS in his speech, Minister Mentor Lee spoke of the relationship and how it has developed since he first met Sultan Omar Ali in September 1960:
CLOSE FRIENDS
MM Lee pays tribute
'He was deeply mourned by the people of Brunei. They knew that he had saved their independence and are able to live as they wish, keeping their oil wealth.
It was Sir Omar's statecraft. He built the infrastructure of state. By the 1980s, he had given the sultanate's 200,000 people a high per capita income of US$20,000, among the world's most privileged. He strengthened Brunei's Islamic institutions.
RELATED LINKS
<!-- Audio --><!-- Video --><!-- PDF -->
MM Lee's full speech
<!-- Photo Gallery -->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>'Future generations of leaders and officials should build upon and enrich this special relationship,' he said.
He was addressing an audience of 3,000 comprising the Brunei Cabinet, including Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, government officials and students at the inaugural Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Memorial Lecture, in memory of the late Brunei ruler.
Sultan Omar Ali, who died in 1986, is the father of Brunei's current ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
The friendship that was first struck in 1960 between MM Lee and Sultan Omar Ali established a footing for the strong ties both countries now have, including among their leaders and institutions.
The Crown Prince earlier described MM Lee as Sultan Omar Ali's contemporary and close friend, and as someone who 'personally laid the foundations for the very close relations and cooperation enjoyed today between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore'.
In his speech, MM Lee noted the similarities between the two countries. Both are small states surrounded by bigger neighbours. They share similar aspirations and concerns - and even have currencies that can be used interchangeably.
Moving ahead, both can also cooperate further, in particular, to help Asean become 'an integrated, stable and thriving regional association at peace with one another and with our larger neighbours, including China and India', he said.
In his 30-minute speech, MM Lee was both nostalgic and admiring as he recounted how he met the Sultan in September 1960. The Sultan invited Singapore's first president Yusof Ishak, Mr Lee and their spouses to his 46th birthday celebrations. 'It was during this visit to Brunei that we struck up a friendship that was to grow and endure the rest of his life,' MM Lee recalled.
............................................................................
If Sultan Omar Ali is still alive today, he'll tell the young Crown Prince Bolkiah to stay away from the Old Fart as far away as possible!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD>Feb 26, 2009
MM Lee in Brunei
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>'Special' ties with Brunei <!--10 min-->
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Close friendship is continuing under a younger generation of leaders </TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Author --></TD></TR><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Li Xueying, Political Correspondent
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
PHOTO: ZAOBAO
</TD></TR><TR><TD>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Over the past half century, Singapore and Brunei - Asean's two smallest nations - have built 'a special relationship'.
It has endured and flourished because it is based 'on mutual respect and trust, and utmost good faith', Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew noted here yesterday.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story -->Enduring relations that began in the 1960s
AT POINTS in his speech, Minister Mentor Lee spoke of the relationship and how it has developed since he first met Sultan Omar Ali in September 1960:
CLOSE FRIENDS
MM Lee pays tribute
'He was deeply mourned by the people of Brunei. They knew that he had saved their independence and are able to live as they wish, keeping their oil wealth.
It was Sir Omar's statecraft. He built the infrastructure of state. By the 1980s, he had given the sultanate's 200,000 people a high per capita income of US$20,000, among the world's most privileged. He strengthened Brunei's Islamic institutions.
RELATED LINKS
<!-- Audio --><!-- Video --><!-- PDF -->
<!-- Photo Gallery -->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>'Future generations of leaders and officials should build upon and enrich this special relationship,' he said.
He was addressing an audience of 3,000 comprising the Brunei Cabinet, including Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, government officials and students at the inaugural Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Memorial Lecture, in memory of the late Brunei ruler.
Sultan Omar Ali, who died in 1986, is the father of Brunei's current ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
The friendship that was first struck in 1960 between MM Lee and Sultan Omar Ali established a footing for the strong ties both countries now have, including among their leaders and institutions.
The Crown Prince earlier described MM Lee as Sultan Omar Ali's contemporary and close friend, and as someone who 'personally laid the foundations for the very close relations and cooperation enjoyed today between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore'.
In his speech, MM Lee noted the similarities between the two countries. Both are small states surrounded by bigger neighbours. They share similar aspirations and concerns - and even have currencies that can be used interchangeably.
Moving ahead, both can also cooperate further, in particular, to help Asean become 'an integrated, stable and thriving regional association at peace with one another and with our larger neighbours, including China and India', he said.
In his 30-minute speech, MM Lee was both nostalgic and admiring as he recounted how he met the Sultan in September 1960. The Sultan invited Singapore's first president Yusof Ishak, Mr Lee and their spouses to his 46th birthday celebrations. 'It was during this visit to Brunei that we struck up a friendship that was to grow and endure the rest of his life,' MM Lee recalled.
............................................................................
If Sultan Omar Ali is still alive today, he'll tell the young Crown Prince Bolkiah to stay away from the Old Fart as far away as possible!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
