THE TEMASEK REVIEW

Editorial by Malaysiakni

During his tenure as prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad had anything but a cordial relationship with his counterparts across the causeway.

But this changed when his handpicked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over the reins in 2003. Diplomatic ties between the two nations received a fresh boost.

Mahathir, in his trademark sarcasm, had once attributed this to his successor’s penchant for playing golf as the former preferred to ride horses instead.
    
Then Abdullah did the unthinkable. He cancelled the crooked-bridge project in 2006, citing the huge federal deficit then.

Mahathir ranted, raved and finally declared open war on Abdullah.

During his term, Mahathir had insisted that he would build the S-shaped elevated bridge on Malaysia’s side of the border after Singapore saw no reason to demolish the existing causeway.

Singapore had said it was prepared to agree to the bridge plan if a balance of benefits could be struck for both sides.

Now after playing a pivotal role in ensuring Abdullah’s premature exit from the pinnacles of power, Mahathir is once again tossing about the crooked bridge plan and stoking diplomatic tensions.

In his latest blog posting, the 83-year-old statesman commented on recent news reports of how Chinese businessman in Johor Baru and an Umno Youth leader there calling for the bridge to be built.

“Does the government need to ask Singapore for permission to build the now desirable crooked bridge? Is Malaysia free to do things in its own territory? Are we really independent? I wonder,” he added.

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