Bilahari Kausikan on longstanding issues with M’sia and the “ineffective government across the causeway”

Retired Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan is known for his sharp tongue and rather strong opinions against Singapore’s closest neighbour – Malaysia. According to him, Singapore’s future stands to be fraught with delayed projects, air pollution and unresolved longstanding issues.

In a Facebook post on 7th March, Kausikan shared an article about Acting Minister for Transport Vivian Balakrishnan’s announcement regarding delays the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) link project will likely face.

Mr Balakrishnan said on Thursday, March 7, that Malaysia has “repeatedly delayed” confirming its joint-venture partner for the firm that will operate the rail link.

In his post, Kausikan wrote, that the delayed railway “is just another example of the consequences of a fundamentally incoherent and thus ineffective government across the causeway”.

He also added that “The haze from fires in Johor that is affecting parts of Singapore is another example”.

“Dr M raising old bilateral issues to distract attention from his inability and unwillingness to keep promises made during an election he by his own admission did not expect to win, is yet another”, he continued.

He also concluded that the issues arising from Malaysia were due to the following: It is not just Dr M; it is systemic instability.

https://www.facebook.com/bilahari.kausikan/posts/2315867372004012

This is not the first time Bilahari Kausikan has written about Singapore’s relationship with Malaysia.

Following the slew of heated exchanges between Singaporeans and Malaysians after a local student from Oxford debated with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, Bilahari Kausikan also took to social media to weigh in on the issue.

https://theindependent.sg.sg/bilahari-kausikan-weighs-in-on-dr-ms-debate-with-oxford-student-says-what-did-he-expect/