After years of worsening – at times volatile – bilateral relations, Singaporeans are pushing themselves to believe that better days may be ahead.

Their fresh hope stems mainly from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi succeeding Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister yesterday but that is, of course, not all. Singapore, too, will have a new prime minister in about a year’s time, when Goh Chok Tong makes way for Lee Hsien Loong.

Many Singaporeans see new opportunities.

By the end of 2004, possibly earlier if Goh chooses, Deputy Prime Minister Lee, 51, will assume office and will be working with the 63-year-old Abdullah, two personalities far different from their predecessors.

People are hoping that they could provide the chemistry and political will to put to rest the recent spate of disagreements between the two governments.

Without belittling previous efforts, the new leaders – after a brief period of consolidation – could lay a new direction to resolve outstanding problems, and hopefully even go further.

Within grasp is restoration of the previous mood of trust and cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore, which existed before the financial crisis of 1997.

The two men could start by directing – perhaps during an exchange of visits – their subordinates to resolve the outstanding conflicts, including water, railway land and CPF, in a real spirit of give-and-take.

This is Asia, where leaders have a strong impact on overall national decisions. How the leaders react to each other is of critical importance.

The environment is ripe for it.

The peoples of both countries are fed up with the wrangling that has led to nowhere. It is also not hard to see the economic benefits that can follow a friendly, stable relationship.

In fact, some optimistic observers even believe there’s a possibility of the rapprochement diplomacy being launched before Goh leaves office. I expect he will probably jump at the slightest chance.

More than half the populations of Malaysia and Singapore were not yet been born when Singapore split with Malaysia 38 years ago in 1965.

That means the majority of people in both nations have not experienced or do not remember the bitter politics during those angry years.

Singapore is under restructuring to cope with China’s rising economic power and job-eating globalisation.

In fact, the island state has been transformed. The new generation no longer thinks like the old one (the latter often complains). The people have changed; the PAP has changed. This could provide a clean emotional slate to build a new relationship.

In 1965, Abdullah was a young man of 25 while Hsien Loong, at 13, was struggling with his first secondary class. So were most of the Cabinet ministers of Singapore and Malaysia, few of whom had taken part in those hate-filled years.

This discarding of damaging historical baggage is for the good of both, the sooner the better.

One example: I often hear that since Malaysia is Malay-dominated and Singapore is Chinese-led, the twain shall never meet.

The racial differences, of course, can’t be erased and they undoubtedly play a negative role – but I think a declining one. The reason is the rising educational levels and changing social patterns have made race less hurtful.

As the Chinese and Malays in both countries got better-educated and worldly wise, they have stopped looking across the causeway through racial eyes.

During the recent heated exchanges over water, I noticed a trend: many Chinese (and Indians, of course) in Malaysia were supporting Dr Mahathir while many Malays in Singapore were behind the republic.

Everyone knows how the Chinese voted overwhelmingly for the Umno-led alliance.

But their loyalty to Malaysia is evident in other ways. Singaporeans who criticise Malaysia over the Internet often find themselves hit hard by Chinese Malaysian permanent residents here.

This has diluted, although not eliminated, racial distrust between the two countries.

It was not long ago that Singapore was angry with Umno for playing guardian to Malays here to an extent that impinges on its sovereignty.

Similarly, Kuala Lumpur was worried about the PAP “trying to set itself up as a model” for Chinese Malaysian.

Just tearing down past suspicions is, of course, not enough to build a strong foundation for the future. That requires something more: mutual trust.

Singaporeans, for example, have to reassure Malaysians they are not always out to take advantage of them for economic gains behind negotiations.

And Malaysians hold to a common view here that it that seeks subservience from small brother in some issues.

One thing is certain. Singaporeans are well disposed towards Abdullah and have plenty of goodwill for him.

They view him as a refined, capable leader and non-confrontational, who can add value to Dr Mahathir’s concept of a multi-racial, progressive nation.

And despite his occasional upsetting utterances against Singapore, Singaporeans undeniably admire him as a great leader who had a vision and the courage to pursue it – his fearless crackdown on Islamic and racial extremism, royal excesses in the 80s and his push for English – even if it meant losing votes each time.

This was a sign of a great leader.

Many Singaporeans hope Abdullah will match his predecessor’s firmness in fighting race, religious and language extremists, undeterred by populist considerations.

Like their counterparts in Malaysia, a whole generation of Singaporeans has grown up knowing no other Malaysian prime minister.

The Mahathir saga has greatly affected the people here, not all in the same way. Most praised him; some talked of him critically for comments like wanting to “skin the cat” (Singapore).

In recent weeks, the media has been full of the man and how he did it his way, with TV flashing scenes of Putrajaya, KLIA, the Twin Towers, and other large infrastructures.

Singaporeans are hard-working and competitive. They admire solid achievements. It’s a language they understand, and Malaysia, under Dr Mahathir, has plenty of it.

o Seah Chiang Nee is a veteran journalist and editor of the information website littlespeck.com (e-mail: cnseah2000@ littlespeck.com )

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