The Scenic Bridge no more

Categories: Malaysia

Malaysia yesterday unilaterally declared that the building of the Scenic Bridge will be stopped with immediate effect. The concurrent bilateral talks with Singapore for the construction of a straight bridge to replace the Causeway will also be stopped. I am sure this is a very difficult decision for our Prime Minister Abdullah because it involves national pride. He is unfortunately caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

On the one hand, he had inherited this 'problem' from former PM Dr Mahathir who had defiantly claimed that Malaysia has a right to demolish its side of the Causeway probably in a fit of anger. So the current PM has not much choice except to continue with the rhetorics. On the other hand, selling sand and especially allowing the SAF to use Malaysian airspace freely is objectionable to the rakyat (people). Some felt that letting fighter jets of another country to use our airspace freely is amounting to trampling our sovereignty. Therefore, how to get out of this catch 22 situations? I think he has done the right thing and that is be answerable to the rakyat and halt the bridge constructions all together.

We must not caught in such situations again. This episode hopefully has taught the leaders that we must react with out minds and not our hearts. Never mind how frustrated and angry you are. Once uttered words cannot be taken back without creating red face. I have been a great admirer of Dr Mahathir but I felt that towards the end of his term, he had been saying things not representative of a man of his stature. It started from the time of the Asian financial crises when Singapore wanted reciprocation in exchange for financial help. No doubt in his heart he is trying to prove that Malaysians do not need Singapore to progress. A case of good intentions turned bad.

Because Singapore is a very structured society, everything is based on what has been written. In order to deal with Singapore, Malaysians must be prepared and well-versed with international laws and bilateral agreements. This has sadly not been the case in this dispute for in the separation agreement it was stated that removal of any of the structures on the Causeway would need Singapore's agreement. Had the original agreement been looked into and carefully studied, this embarassment could have been easily avoided.

Proper planning is another of the problem that comes glaring in this dispute. Why spend RM700 million on the CIQ even when negotiations had not been finalised? Was Malaysia very determined to build the bridge to the extend that some sovereignty will be compromised? Not only that for the government has to compensate RM100 million to Gerbang Perdana for terminating the contract. This shows the inefficiency and the poor planning on the part of the government.

Now that a stop-work order had been given, I hope the very same people who had voiced their disapproval to the sale of sand and use of Malaysian airspace by the SAF will now rally behind our Prime Minister. He had made a very difficult decision and in the process may have created some displeasure within the ranks of UMNO in particular. When the 'euphoria' had settled, only then can the true extend of the repercussions can be gauged.

I sympathised with PM Abdullah Badawi. He had inherited a problem that was boiled out of frustrations. He had heard discontent of the masses regarding the sale of sand and the use of Malaysian airspace. At the same time he had to salvage national pride. Further, his hands are tied due to a separation agreement signed some fourty years ago. Given the limited options that he had, he had come to this decision. In the end the victory can only be that of the rakyat.

Related blog: The Scenic Bridge
Chronology of events