This commitment was made clear in an exchange of letters between them, which Lee made public last night, says the newspaper.

Pilots Union Chief Mok Hin Choon in his Jan 16 letter promised that the union's approach would be one of "cooperation and not confrontation.

"We will keep it in the family and avoid, as far as possible, taking the issue public and airing it in the media," he said in the letter, says the newspaper.

Replying on Feb 9, Lee welcomed that positive approach, saying he was encouraged by their commitment to work with management and negotiate "in the family," the newspaper adds.

The letters come after three months of stern warnings by the government that it wouldn't stand for a defiant pilots' union.

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