PM Wong: Singapore-Malaysia not yet ready to fully resolve longstanding bilateral issues

MALAYSIA: At the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasized that both nations are not yet ready to resolve longstanding bilateral issues, including those concerning maritime boundaries, water, and airspace.

Speaking at the joint press conference, Mr Wong described these matters as complex, requiring careful and thorough deliberation.

“Since I visited last year at the introductory visit, both Prime Minister Anwar and I have asked the officials to meet. They have done so across all of these issues, on maritime boundaries, on water, and on airspace. They have had good discussions.

Some progress has been made, but we are not ready to resolve all of them yet because they are complex,” the Singapore Business Review quotes him as saying.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of allowing officials from both sides to take the necessary time to exchange views, understand each other’s perspectives, and develop durable agreements that will benefit both countries.

“Prime Minister Anwar and I are fully committed to doing so, to having good faith conversations and discussions in a manner that is constructive,” he added, and that they “will discuss the issues holistically and make sure that these outstanding matters do not ever detract from our overall relationship.”

Despite the challenges, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing mutually beneficial initiatives, citing the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) as examples of positive collaboration.