Simple. The reason why they behave like this is 2-prong, as it
usually is when we have a dispute with them:
1) There is increasing social problems over there. Indons running
riot, a restless Muslim/Malay populace, a stuttering economy have
contributed to a constantly weakening government hold on power.
Mahathirs speech at the WEF yesterday(Sun 03/02) points to that. In
this situation they need to create a distraction so the prople will
not notice or concentrate on the incompetence of those in charge,
and as history has shown, the best way to do this is through a
bogeyman: preferably foreign. We play that role to the hilt; we're
better off, we're of a different race by majority, and we have a
minority thats of the same race/religion as their majority. We're,
in a nutshell, the perfect bogeyman.
2) They've never really accepted the fact that not only are we more
successful, what really really yanks their chain is that our Malay
countrymen, despite not having an unfair advantage like theirs and
play on a level playing field, are still arguably more successful
than theirs. Thats why they have always jumped on an opportunity to
paint Malay Singaporeans as an oppressed, unfairly treated
minority. Just look at the tudung issue, I've seen sharks react
more slowly to blood in the water than the Malaysian politicians
have to this issue.
What it all boils down to is that this is all bluster. As for the
H2O issue, deep down, they're getting desparate because they know
that our dependence on Malaysia on this issue is almost over. Once
our desalination plants are ready, gone will be any chance to gain
political and economic mileage(read: $$$) from us, so they're now
trying to gain as much as they can.
Its nothing we have not seen before, and nothing we won't see
again. As the Chinese say, just treat them like the barking mad
dogs they are.
[This message has been edited by Viper52 (edited 04 February
2002).]
