Singapore - Singapore and Malaysia should not create more impediments that could cause unnecessary hardships to the people from both countries, Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore Datuk N. Parameswaran said.
Instead, both countries should step up their current cordial relations further for the wellbeing of both peoples, he said.
He said both sides should let loose their creativity in finding solutions to settle the many problems between them.
"Im in favour of building many more bridges between the two countries, not the concrete and steel ones but bridges of flesh and blood," he said at a reception here last night to mark Malaysia`s 51st National Day.
Over 500 guests including foreign diplomats, Singapores top politicians, business tycoons, senior military officers and Malaysians working here attended the reception which began with the breaking of fast by the Muslim guests.
An assortment of Malaysian dishes such as satay, popiah, putu piring, koay teow, gado-gado, rojak, kek lapis, murtabak and drinks such as air bandung and air mata kuching, were laid out for the guests to savour.
Singapores Law Minister K. Shanmugam was the guest of honour at the reception, representing his government. In response, Shanmugam said he hoped the relations between Singapore and Malaysia continued to stay strong based on mutual respect and friendship.
He said Singapore would certainly take action to build more bridges, but those of trust that would strengthen the relations of the two neighbouring countries.
Speaking to the media later, Parameswaran said many Malaysians who commuted daily between Johor Baharu and here to work were complaining of the congestion at the Johor Causeway, making them wait for hours before they could get through.
The congestion was due to the longer time taken for clearance at the entry and exit points by the immigration and customs authorities, he said.
Over 60,000 Malaysians, including 30,000 motorcyclists, commute daily to Singapore to work. Foreigners leaving Singapore now need to leave their thumbprint at the immigration, and Malaysia recently reintroduced the requirement for non-Malaysians to fill the embarkation card before entering the country. The High Commissioner said the Johor Causeway "is now the worst congested crossing in the world". Talking from his own experience when he was travelling in Europe, Parameswaran said he just had to wave his passport to the immigration officer when he was crossing from one country to another.
He said businessmen from the two countries had also voiced their grievances over the delay of shipment of their goods across the causeway, thus affecting their businesses.
Singapore has imposed stricter checks on vehicles leaving the country following the escape of a Jemaah Islamiah militant group leader, Mas Selamat Kastari, who is still on the run, from a detention centre here in February.
Source: http://www.bernama.com.my (September 02, 2008)
