PRESENT POINT POWER

Once again what we are witnessing is a “matter of absolute truth”. And when you have the philosophical argument over some data which can be questioned and open to interpretation and when one party just refused to accept what is obvious and more correct and up-to-date information; this gives rise to dispute between two nations and demands for apology. What good is an apology as the naked truth which is more appropriate would stare you in the face?
Even further explanation and the meditation from a third party would be useless if one party is so insistent, unbending and unyielding in their “automatic” beliefs which is just expressed beliefs they regard as their “truth” and they want their truth to be the Truth.

Yes, and the recognition and appreciation of the differences. But if you choose, you shall know that you are choosing, and the conflict shall be different. It shall not be a conflict to be expressing conversion or expressing the absoluteness of one or the other. The conflict may be more likened to debate than struggle.

But if you are not aware of the beliefs and if you are not aware of the energy, you may be expressing “automatic” beliefs more strongly, which many times become quite confusing to individuals and even conflicting in the face of more useful information.

The immediate response from Singapore’s envoy in KL is “appropriate reply will come through appropriate channel”

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S'pore Should Apologise Over LKY's Remarks, Says Syed Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Singapore, as a good neighbour, should apologise to Malaysia for the recent remarks by its Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew that the Chinese community in Malaysia is being marginalised.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said Thursday Malaysia deserved an apology from Singapore for the remarks, which caused concern among Malaysian leaders.

"They should (apologise) for the sake of the two supposedly good neighbouring countries, they should do that.

"That statement went beyond fair comment, describing something that is not true in our country, an instigation. So I think with all honesty, it should be polite for them to say they were sorry," he told reporters after a meeting of the Umno Supreme Council, here.

Speaking at a forum in Singapore on Sept 15, Lee had said that Malaysia and Indonesia "have problems with the Chinese. They are successful, they are hardworking and, therefore, they are being systematically marginalised".

Lee Kuan Yew at the forum. His "off the cuff" remarks about Chinese marginalization landed him in hot soup

He also said that the two countries "want Singapore, to put it simply, to be like their Chinese -- compliant".

Syed Hamid also confirmed that Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia Ashok Mukar Mirpuri met Foreign Ministry Secretary General Datuk Rastam Isa Thursday.

"We called (him), we want to know exactly the nature of the statement. We have given our views and how we feel about it. So we wait for his response. Subsequently, we will decide what action is to be taken," he added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has sent a letter to the Singapore government seeking an explanation over Lee's remarks, which he said could cause racial tension.

From NST

Wisma Putra summons Singapore envoy over Lee’s remarks

29 Sep 2006
Hamidah Atan, Jason Gerald and Azura Abas

PUTRAJAYA: Singapore’s envoy here was summoned to Wisma Putra over remarks by Lee Kuan Yew that the Chinese in Malaysia were being systematically marginalised.

High Commissioner T. Jasudasen had a brief meeting with Datuk Kamaruddin Mustafa, the ministry’s Southeast Asia Division secretary,

A senior ministry officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Jasudasen was summoned to explain on Lee’s remarks.

ABOVE: High Commissioner T. Jasudasen leaving Wisma Putra remarked: "appropriate reply will come through appropriate channel” BELOW: His Secretary accompanying him
BELOW: Left in the White Car

"He gave an assurance that he would report back to the Singapore government. Until then, we will have to wait and see."

Lee, who is Minister Mentor, told a forum in Singapore earlier this month that Malaysia’s minority Chinese community was being systematically marginalised.

He also said it was vital that predominantly ethnic Chinese Singapore stood up to Malaysia and Indonesia. He noted that the two countries "want Singapore, to put it simply, to be like their Chinese — compliant".

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Lee’s remarks were unjustified and he has sent a letter to the Singapore government on the issue.

"So far, I have not received a reply," he said. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the country expected an apology from its neighbour."We expect Singapore to say sorry for Lee’s remarks."For the sake of being two good neighbours, Singapore should do that.

"I think that the statement was way beyond fair comment. "Malaysia has given its views to the Singapore officials and how we feel about it," he said.

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Background to Jasudasen experience

The Singapore Government has appointed Mr T Jasudasen as Singapore's next High Commissioner to Malaysia. He will assume the post on June 19.
Mr Jasudasen has been Singapore's ambassador to Myanmar since 2004.
Before that, he was the ambassador to France between 1997 and 2004.
Mr Jasudasen joined the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 1977 and has served at the Singapore Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Singapore's Embassy in Manila, and the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.
At the Foreign Affairs Ministry, he was Director of the ASEAN Directorate and a Director of Policy, Planning and Analysis.
Mr Jasudasen graduated with an Honours degree in Law from the University of Singapore. He also studied Public Administration at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration in Paris, France.

Mr Jasudasen was awarded the Public Administration Silver Medal in 1990

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And from a disgruntled REFUGEE trying to settle an old score

S'pore Malays Oppressed By Kuan Yew's PAP, Says Former S'pore Politician ; September 28, 2006 19:52 PM; By Mohd Haikal Isa
JOHOR BAHARU, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- The Malays in Singapore have been systematically marginalised since Lee Kuan Yew became Prime Minister, and the government under the city state's founding father also committed "ethnic Malay cleansing", said Singapore's veteran politician who migrated to Malaysia.

Prof Mohammed Yacob, who was political secretary to Singapore's second Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock, said the Malays were systematically marginalised since the People's Action Party (PAP) came to power in 1959.

According to Mohammed, the PAP reduced the Malay political power through the implementation of the government's housing policy.

He attested that Malays were uprooted from their villages and were resettled separately at various new townships including Tampines New Town, Bedok North and South, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio.

"The PAP divided and ruled the Malays. The Malays were separated from each other and resettled in various housing estates so that they no longer have a political voice," he said in an interview with Bernama here.

"The PAP government used the racial quota system to re-organise the population of Singapore to weaken the Malays. Each housing estate must have 72 per cent Chinese, 16 per cent Malays and 12 per cent Indians and others."

The Malay political clout gradually diminished after the housing policy was implemented, he said.

"The PAP government also deliberately allowed the marginalisation of the Malay language and Malay schools to occur gradually and naturally.

"During the colonial rule, there were so many Malay schools in Singapore including in Kampung Gelam, Tanglin Kecil, Kampung Jaguh, Tanglin Besar and Kampung Melayu. The Tun Sri Lanang and Sang Nila Utama Malay schools were the pride of the Malays then.

"But when Singapore pulled out of the Federation of Malaysia in 1965, Lee Kuan Yew changed the education policy which resulted in the marginalisation of the Malays along with their schools and language.

"The policy emphasised on Mandarin and English... and today, Malay stream schools are no longer in existence in Singapore.

"In other words, the PAP government made a mockery of the constitution in paragraph 153 (2) which states that Bahasa Melayu is the national language of Singapore. PAP is committing ethnic Malay cleansing in Singapore," he said.

Mohammed sought refuge in Malaysia in 1978 after he heard that he was going to be arrested. He is now a Malaysian citizen.

Recently, Lee said Malaysia and Indonesia systematically marginalised their ethnic Chinese, sparking outrage among ethnic Chinese in both the countries.

PM sends Singapore letter on LKY remarks

28 Sep 2006
Farrah Naz Karim

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has sent a letter to the Singapore government seeking an explanation over recent remarks by Lee Kuan Yew.

Lee, Minister Mentor in the Singapore Cabinet, had said the Chinese in Malaysia were being marginalised. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the Cabinet was informed yesterday that the letter has been despatched. "We expect Singapore to say sorry for Lee’s remarks," he said.

He added that if Singapore continued to come up with baseless remarks, it would be difficult to maintain cordial relations.

Syed Hamid said that Lee, as the former Prime Minister of the republic, should have known better than to utter such remarks as it also went against Asean’s non-interference policy.

"I believe Singapore’s motive is to make Malaysia look bad to foreign investors but they won’t succeed because the world can see that we Malaysians always stand together as one nation," he said.

Abdullah said on Monday that he wanted Lee to explain himself as his comments could cause racial tension.

Lee told a forum in Singapore on Sept 15 that the city-state’s neighbouring countries, Malaysia and Indonesia, "have problems with the Chinese. They are successful, they are hardworking, and therefore, they are systematically marginalised".

He also said the two countries "want Singapore, to put it simply, to be like their Chinese — compliant".

Abdullah had said Lee’s remarks were not welcomed and the republic’s founding father had appeared to show he had no qualms about making such a highly-charged statement.

The Umno supreme council meeting today will discuss the forms of action to be taken against Singapore following the remarks.

Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said the matter would be raised following immense pressure from the grassroots for stern action to be taken.

In Jakarta, Indonesia summoned Singapore’s ambassador to explain Lee’s remarks.

Director of the Indonesian foreign ministry’s East Asian and Pacific Affairs division, Yuri Thamrin, described Lee’s comments as "inaccurate" and required explanation.

Indonesian lawmakers urge Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew to apologize

Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa;Published: Tuesday September 26, 2006

akarta- Angry Indonesian lawmakers have demanded a public apology from Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew over reports that he accused Indonesia of systematically marginalizing its Chinese minority, local media reported said Tuesday. "The statement is full of lies. We are very upset because it has disgraced Indonesia. We will ask the government to send a letter of protest to Lee," The Jakarta Post quoted lawmaker Djoko Susilo as saying.

Susilo, from the National Mandate Party (PAN), claimed there was no longer discrimination or systematic marginalization of the ethnic Chinese in the country.

"Now, the minority Chinese have access to all positions, even in the military. We even have ministers and lawmakers from the ethnic group," he said.

Reports quoted Lee as telling a forum in Singapore recently that it was vital for the Chinese-majority city-state to stand up to its Muslim-majority neighbours.

Lee was reported to have said Malaysia's and Indonesia's attitude towards Singapore were formed by the way they treated their own ethnic Chinese minorities. Lee reportedly claimed Malaysia and Indonesia had problems with their Chinese populations because those minorities worked hard and were successful.

Malaysian leaders also have reportedly demanded an apology from Lee.Another lawmaker, Amris Hassan, criticized Lee's remarks for the danger they posed to Indonesian unity as well as ASEAN's good relations.

"Beside obstructing our bilateral relations, the remarks also hinder the process of establishing the ASEAN community," said Hassan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). He demanded that Lee issue a public apology and explain what he meant not only to Indonesian leaders but also to the Indonesian people.

ASEAN stands for the Association of South-East Asian Nations, which comprises of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Indonesians of Chinese descent account for approximately 3 per cent, or around six million, of the country's 220 million population. But they control the bulk of business activity in the world's fourth most populous nation.