WikiLeaks hits Singapore diplomats
SINGAPORE: Singapore diplomats think the leaders of
some close Asian allies are corrupt or incompetent, cables from
WikiLeaks revealed Sunday.
Confidential diplomatic notes given by the
whistleblower website to Australia's Fairfax media group contained
unflattering assessments of key figures in Malaysia, Thailand,
India and Japan.
"A lack of competent leadership is a real problem
for Malaysia," permanent secretary for the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Bilahari Kausikan reportedly told US Deputy Secretary of
Defence for East Asia David Sedney in a cable dated September
2008.
As such, "the situation in neighbouring Malaysia is
confused and dangerous," fuelled by a "distinct possibility of
racial conflict" that could see ethnic Chinese "flee" Malaysia and
"overwhelm" Singapore, Bilahari was quoted as saying.
Another official, Peter Ho, reportedly described Malaysian Prime
Minister Najib Razak as "an opportunist" who "would not hesitate"
to be critical of Singapore if "it is expedient for him to do
so."
He said allegations linking Najib to the murder of a Mongolian
woman in 2006, which the leader has strongly rejected, would
continue to "haunt" his political fortunes.
Bilahari was also critical of the Thai government in 2008,
labelling then premier Thaksin Shinawatra as "corrupt" along with
"everyone else, including the opposition."
He also said the Thai crown prince was "very erratic, and easily
subject to influence," and warned of continued instability in
Thailand.
In another 2009 memo, Singapore's ambassador at large Tommy Koh --
known for being mild-mannered and eloquent in public -- was
uncharacteristically blunt in his assessment of Japan and
India.
"Koh described Japan as 'the big fat loser' in the context of
improving ties between China and ASEAN," a leaked cable detailing a
meeting between him and US officials stated.
"He attributed the relative decline of Japan's stature in the
region to Japan's 'stupidity, bad leadership, and lack of vision,'"
it added.
"He was equally merciless towards India, describing it as 'half in,
half out' of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations.)"
There was no immediate reaction from the Singapore government to
the leaks but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) earlier issued
a statement saying it is "critical to protect the confidentiality
of diplomatic and official correspondence".
"Which is why Singapore has the Official Secrets Act (OSA)," an MFA
spokesman said.
He said: "In particular, the selective release of documents,
especially when taken out of context, will only serve to sow
confusion and fail to provide a complete picture of the important
issues that were being discussed (among) leaders in the strictest
of confidentiality."
-AFP/CNA/wk
