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Malaysia Will Not Back Down, Says Syed Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Bernama) - Malaysia will not give in to any new demands from Singapore in their talks on outstanding issues, including the construction of a new bridge to replace the Johor causeway, if it does not benefit Malaysia.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said both sides must be satisfied with the outcome of any discussion to enable the issues to be resolved.

"No one is giving in to anybody at their expense. I think we are looking for a win-win situation," he said to reporters after the opening of the third term of the 11th Parliament here, Monday.

Syed Hamid added that setting conditions at the start of the talks also did not arise because the results of the discussions should satisfy both sides.

He said the current negotiations had entered the final stage and he hoped it could be finalised soon.

Sunday, Syed Hamid said Malaysia and Singapore had reached an agreement on several main issues which hopefully would lead to the construction of the bridge.

The agreement was reached in a meeting at Putrajaya between officers from both sides on several outstanding issues after four other earlier meetings failed to reach an agreement.

The outstanding issues include the permission to use Johor airspace by Singapore fighter planes, sale of sand for Singapore's land reclamation project, price of Malaysian water sold to Singapore and the withdrawal of the Central Provident Fund contributions by Malaysian workers.

He added, the talks progressed smoothly and some agreements were reached on some major headings which should now be detailed out.

However, media reports said Malaysia had agreed to Singapore's demands on the purchase of sand and the use of Malaysian airspace by Singapore's fighter planes.

Asked on the matter, Syed Hamid declined to elaborate and said "we will discuss the matter in detail when the time comes."

-- BERNAMA