Most Singaporeans are publicly expressing their support for the new Malaysian Pakatan government and their Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad against their own Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in the High Speed Rail (HSR) issue. In what appears like a protest act against Lee Hsien Loong’s relentless tax increases, Singaporeans are slamming the fickle-minded son of Lee Kuan Yew for being weak and unable to handle the sophistication of diplomacy.
Many Singaporeans took to public forums commenting Lee Hsien Loong is nowhere his father’s level to handle Mahathir.
Although the stop work order of HSR is bringing severe inconvenience to Singaporeans, the general public said they are able to empathise with Malaysia’s 1 trillion RM debt situation.
The Singapore government however refuse to offer Malaysia any resolution, and insisted on demanding a US$125 million compensation plus additional charges. In a press release last month, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan threatened Malaysia and demanded “an explanation” when Malaysian PM has publicly announced that the HSR would be scrapped. The Singapore authorities also refused to accept alternative suggestions to lower project costs, and called the idea of reusing the existing Tanjong Pagar railway track as “stupid”.
Just last week, the Singapore government demanded that Malaysia respond by July 31 – only to be ignored by the Malaysian government.
The Malaysian public are mostly angered by the “hard ball” approach of the Singapore government, and many called for the Pakatan government to confront Lee Hsien Loong directly. Singaporeans rallied their support behind the Malaysians with many hoping that Singapore would see a similar regime change in the next general election in 2019.