The power of the pen: S'pore paper hits a touchy nerve

Questioning if Mahathir would "end up hogging the stage for longer than he should," the BusinessTimes wrote that the longevity of leaders could be "counterproductive if it chokes off fresh ideas." The piece listed a few factors in favor of calling snap elections - including signs of an economic recovery and a splintered opposition - but then added that "all of that is likely only to mitigate some of the fallout from the Anwar saga, not obliterate it."

The reaction from Kuala Lumpur was swift and furious. The next day, Mahathir attacked the Singapore media's "nasty habit of passing nasty comments" and tossed a few barbs back: "Look at Singapore: It hasn't changed that much, because somebody has been prime minister much longer than I have been."

For good measure, he threw in another jab: "For them, if another party wins an election, they will arrest and put them in jail until they can no longer be a member of parliament." Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told Asiaweek that "it is most appalling that a paper from a friendly country should take upon itself to meddle in our internal politics."

Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong's press secretary later wrote to the paper, criticizing the editorial as "rash" and "contrary to the Singapore government's [view]." That calmed matters - "Malaysians liked Goh's statement," says UMNO member Rais Yatim - but not before the episode had underscored the often touchy relations between the two countries.