Singapore GE2020: 'We hope there is change,' says Mahathir

A photo taken on May 9, 2019, shows then Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during a press conference in Putrajaya. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said he hoped there would be change in Singapore at the coming election.

In an interview on the political situation in Malaysia with Asia Times, the 94-year-old was asked if he thought Malaysia would get a better deal if the People's Action Party were voted out and the Progress Singapore Party - which the Hong Kong-based online publication referred to as "Prime Minister Lee's brother's party" - were voted in.

Tun Dr Mahathir responded: "Well, lah, we hope there is a change. But knowing Singapore, they are not very cooperative. They don't want to change anything. Everything is to their advantage, so they want to keep it that way."

He added in the interview that was published on Friday (June 26): "I do hope the brother, who has differences with his elder brother, would have a different attitude towards Malaysia."

Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the estranged brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, was unveiled as a PSP member on Wednesday, though it remains unclear if he would contest the election.

During both Dr Mahathir's tenures as prime minister, from 1981 to 2003 and then again from 2018 till early this year, Singapore and Malaysia were involved in a series of bilateral disputes, including on the issues of water pricing as well as maritime and air boundaries.

He resigned as prime minister in January during a week of political turmoil that saw his Pakatan Harapan government collapse.

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