GE2020: 'We hope there is a change,' says Mahathir, when asked about Singapore election

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

In an interview with Asia Times on the political situation in Malaysia, the 94-year-old was asked if he thought Malaysia would get a better deal if the People's Action Party (PAP) were voted out and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) - 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 yesterday: "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 of Dr Mahathir's tenures as prime minister, from 1981 to 2003 and from 2018 to 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 PM in February during a week of political turmoil which saw his Pakatan Harapan government collapse.