Mahathir bin Mohamad will turn 100 years old in July. The former Prime Minister of Malaysia may be retired, but his thoughts are never far from politics and current affairs. In his recent Facebook post, Mahathir sarcastically opined that by purchasing treated water from Singapore, Malaysia has been donating to Singapore's GDP.
Mahathir's Facebook post reminded me his meeting with Lee Kuan Yew in December 1978. Lee had invited Mahathir to Singapore. At that time, Mahathir was Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister while holding cabinet portfolios in Education and Trade. This was not their first time meeting each other. They had first as parliamentarians in 1964.
In From Third World To First: The Singapore Story: 1965 - 2000, Lee described his 1978 meeting with Mahathir:
He was direct and asked what we were building the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) for. I replied equally directly that we feared that at some time or other there could be a random act of madness like cutting off our water supplies, which they had publicly threatened whenever there were differences between us. We had not wanted separation. It had been thrust upon us. The Separation Agreement with Malaysia was a part of the terms on which we left and had been deposited in the United Nations. In this agreement, the Malaysian government had guaranteed our water supply. If this was breached, we would go to the UN Security Council. If water shortage became urgent, in an emergency, we would have to go in, forcibly if need be, to repair damaged pipes and machinery and restore the water flow. I was putting my cards on the table. He denied that any such precipitate action would happen. I said I believed he would not do this, but we had to be prepared for all contingencies.
"If water shortage became urgent, in an emergency, we would have to go in, forcibly if need be, to repair damaged pipes and machinery and restore the water flow." Translation: If someone switches off the water, we shall go to war.
In his recount of that 1978 meeting, Lee claimed that Mahathir was candid about his anti-Singapore feelings. "He (Mahathir) recounted how, as a medical student in Singapore, he had directed a Chinese taxi-driver to the home of a lady friend, but had been taken to the servants' quarters of this house. It was an insult he did not forget. Singapore Chinese, he said, looked down upon the Malays.
Comments about Lee Kuan Yew is scattered throughout Mahathir's memoirs. "Lee and I had a civil relationship, but it was never a friendship." Mahathir wrote that during his time as a Malaysian parliamentarian, Lee was "condescending" and "adopted the didactic tone of a know-all schoolmaster."
In his memoirs, Mahathir also complained about "a very unusual kind of protocol." As a visiting head of government, I was only greeted by the protocol officer at the entrance to the Prime Minister's office and was then required to wait in an adjacent holding room until the Prime Minister was ready to see me. Mahathir recounted that he was made to wait for about 15 minutes and "felt very sorely used." In retaliation, whenever Lee Kuan Yew and his successors visited Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir followed the same protocol whereas he would receive all visiting heads of government at the main door, with a ceremonial welcome and a military guard of honour.
The water agreement between Malaysia and Singapore clearly rankled Mahathir deeply. In his memoirs, he wrote about how unfair he felt the agreement was: In 1960 and 1961, Malaysia agreed to supply Singapore with 350 million gallons of water every day at three sen per 1,000 gallons. Singapore would sell treated water to Johor, not exceeding 12% of the water Singapore bought. The agreed price of the treated water was 50 sen per 1,000 gallons. This was a discount perhaps the cost of treating the water would probably have been $1.20 per 1,000 gallons. Mahathir saw this as agreement as Malaysia being shortchanged because the price Malaysia had to pay Singapore if it took the maximum 12% would far exceed what Singapore had to pay for water. Mahathir furnished figures: Singapore was paying RM 10,500 daily while Malaysia was paying RM 21,000 a day for treated water.
Mahathir added that even before the agreement expired in 2011 and 2061 respectively, Singapore wanted to renegotiate a new 100-year agreement for the same rate. Mahathir claimed: "We do not want to deprive Singaporeans of water but we felt that the island state should pay a fairer price for the raw water." He also wrote: "Malaysia is paying heavily to remain on good terms with Singapore but friends who have to be bought are not real friends."
As a Singaporean, it is tempting for me to regard Mahathir negatively. It is undeniable that even in his advanced age, Mahathir still has an unfriendly view of my country. However, historians avoid one-dimensional views of people. Mahathir has his own reasons for viewing Singapore in his own way and even though he is no longer active in politics, Mahathir clearly still feels the weight of history and perceived injustices.
Lee Yue Heng (17/01/2025)