 PUTRAJAYA, April 7 — Malaysia and Singapore have agreed on a “friendship” bridge to enhance and improve existing bilateral ties, leaders from both countries said today. Malaysia, under the Abdullah administration, had previously dropped plans for a third bridge meant to replace the overly congested Causeway and complement the Second Link — a move that sparked a domestic leadership crisis that led to the ouster of then-prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. His successor Datuk Seri Najib Razak, however, said the “friendship bridge” will be a long-term project and focus will be given to existing bilateral collaborations to improve connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore. “This is a long term initiative,” Najib told a press conference here after holding a private retreat with Lee in his office here. The “open-ended” project aims to accommodate the overwhelming traffic between the countries, Najib said. Lee said the bridge was mooted in view of the development of the Iskandar Economic Region in which Singapore is among the biggest investors. “It is a logical approach,” he said. The island state had been reluctant in accepting Malaysia’s earlier proposal for a new bridge to replace the Causeway, likely due to the threat it posed to Singapore’s shipping interests. Malaysia, under the government of then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had argued that the bridge was needed to ease congestion over the busy causeway. But analysts noted that it may have opened the Straits of Johor to maritime traffic, potentially aiding a new Malaysian container port that could draw business away from Singapore’s own. Singapore, which rejected the bridge as unnecessary, agreed to consider it only if Malaysia would sell it sand for reclamation and allow Singapore’s military rights to enter Malaysian airspace. Dr Mahathir’s successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he had ditched plan for a bridge, partly to improve ties with its southern neighbour. That had led many to see Abdullah as weak. MMail
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