|
| 阅读上一个主题 :: 阅读下一个主题 |
| 作者 |
 ＺＴ：星马水供课题(英文):小狠(横江雪浪)请进 |
 |
不锈钢青牛
[博客]
[个人文集]
游客
|
|
|
作者：Anonymous 在 罕见奇谈 发贴, 来自 http://www.hjclub.org
EDITORIAL
BUSINESS TIMES
IT TOOK incessant misrepresentations by Malaysian leaders, along with careless talk of war, before the Singapore Government decided to reveal all - including confidential documents - on the water dispute between the two countries.
The reactions from across the Causeway since then have been instructive. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's claim that Singapore's move was an effort to divert attention - from its own economic problems - might fool some people, but will be seen by most for what it is: a cheap shot. Singapore's aim was to set the record straight.
Much media attention has focused, not surprisingly, on how Dr Mahathir likened the disclosure of documents to writing 'a letter to your girlfriend' who then 'circulates it to all her boyfriends'. 'I don't think I'll get involved with that girl,'he scoffed.
Singapore's former High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur, Mr K. Kesavapany, was quick to express bafflement that this was cast as 'some Barbara Cartland kind of romance'. The contents of the letters exchanged between the leaders, he said, were serious statements of position.
Mr Kesavapany could well have gone on to correct the analogy: This is not a case of a boyfriend being hard done by; it's a case where he fails to keep promises made in his letters and, worse, says one thing privately but tells all and sundry an altogether different story.
Can the trifled girlfriend be blamed for revealing the truth, especially when the misrepresentations become unbearable?
The catalogue of Malaysian misrepresentions about Singapore's intentions and actions - all lapped up and amplified by its media - is too long to list here.
Suffice it to say that Singaporeans have shown remarkable forbearance in the face of almost daily verbal onslaughts; few sovereign countries have had to endure such undiplomatic abuse from a neighbouring government.
Following Singapore's revelations, Malaysian leaders have been shown up for not keeping their promises and commitments. As Mr Kesavapany put it: 'Malaysia's tendency to trivialise agreements reached and commitments made has been the bane of Malaysia-Singapore relations. A leader's word is his bond and, once given, should not be altered. Without this, any negotiation will be useless.'
But the most telling comments from the Malaysian side have to do with the issue of Singapore's sovereignty. Saying he was speaking on behalf of the Umno Supreme Council, Dr Mahathir took the 'We gave you your sovereignty' line. It was almost as if he merely desisted from adding: And we can take it back.
Why is this a valid worry for Singapore? It comes back to the issue of keeping commitments solemnly entered into and honouring agreements not just signed but guaranteed in the country's Constitution.
The facts on this are not hard to understand: One, the Johor government entered into two long-term agreements in 1961 and 1962 with Singapore's Public Utilities Board (PUB) to allow the Republic to draw raw water and for the PUB to supply treated water back to Johor.
Two, these agreements were later guaranteed by the Malaysian government in the Separation Agreement that established Singapore as a sovereign state in 1965.
Three, this guarantee was enacted into the Malaysian Constitution, a fact not many Malaysians may be aware of.
Here is what it says: 'The Government of Malaysia shall guarantee that the Government of the State of Johore will on and after Singapore Day also abide by the terms and conditions of the said two Water Agreements.'
Like all supply agreements, the key terms in the water agreements cover quantity, price and duration, as well as provisions for when and how price reviews are to be undertaken and mutually agreed upon.
What the current dispute amounts to is simply this: Malaysia wants to unilaterally raise the price of water - from 3 sen to RM6.25 per thousand gallons - and browbeat Singapore into acquiescing.
Any businessman who has entered into a contractual agreement will know that this is unacceptable. Consider this analogy:
Imagine if you enter into a 50-year agreement to rent a piece of land upon which you then put up a building. Twenty years on, the landlord suddenly decides that the original agreement was unfair and wants to unilaterally jack up the land rent.
The proper way for the landlord to go about this is to negotiate and offer you some benefit or consideration - a longer lease perhaps - in return for a higher rent. If the landlord is able to unilaterally raise the rent, what's to stop him from
tearing up the agreement and booting you out?
Seen in this light, Singapore's clearly-stated position is a reasonable one: It is not how much to pay for Johor water, but how any price revision is decided upon.
More specifically, the price cannot be revised at the will and dictate of one party. Either the new price is decided by mutual consent, or it should be decided by arbitration under the terms provided for in the water agreements.
If Malaysia treats its contractual commitments on this in a cavalier fashion - and dismisses opposition to such behaviour as being 'legalistic' - its credibility on all other international contracts will be torn to shreds.
One silver lining in Dr Mahathir's most recent comments is that Malaysia is prepared to continue supplying water to the Republic after 2061, when the 1962 agreement expires - but it will be treated water, not raw water. This provides a basis to restart negotiations. Singapore has reiterated its desire to have good, not strained, relations with Malaysia. Dr Mahathir, for his part, said: 'We regard the people of Singapore as our neighbours, our friends, and even our brothers and sisters.'
So there is still goodwill on both sides. Given the clear benefits of working together, it would do well for both countries to return to the negotiating table at some point soon. But it must be on the basis of respect for agreements signed - and of keeping to one's word.
作者：Anonymous 在 罕见奇谈 发贴, 来自 http://www.hjclub.org |
|
|
| 返回顶端 |
|
 |
| |
|
|
您不能在本论坛发表新主题
您不能在本论坛回复主题
您不能在本论坛编辑自己的文章
您不能在本论坛删除自己的文章
您不能在本论坛发表投票
您不能在这个论坛添加附件
您不能在这个论坛下载文件
|
based on phpbb, All rights reserved.
|
