Top Singapore officials trash the neighbours

WikiLeaks releases files containing highly controversial comments made by S’pore diplomats (AFP file photo)

A fresh batch of diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks containing comments allegedly made by high-ranking Singapore diplomats threatens to heighten tension in the region.

Among the explosive comments reportedly made by them:

– Malaysia is a “confused and dangerous state” due to “incompetent politicians”

– M’sian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim did “indeed commit the (sodomy) acts he was indicted for”

– Thailand’s political elite is dogged by corruption and its crown prince is “erratic” and “easily subject to influence”

– Japan and India were struggling to deal with China’s influence due to their “stupid” behaviour

Singapore’s past and current Foreign Affairs senior diplomats Peter Ho, Bilahari Kausikan and Professor Tommy Koh were named in the confidential diplomatic cables, which were leaked to Australia’s The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age by WikiLeaks.

Sun-Herald andThe Sunday Age:
MALAYSIA'S "dangerous" decline is fuelled by incompetent politicians, Thailand is dogged by corruption and a "very erratic" crown prince, Japan is a "big fat loser" and India is ''stupid''.

So say some of Singapore's highest ranking officials, according to leaked US State Department cables which are likely to spark intense political controversy in the region.

The cables, leaked exclusively to The Sun-Herald by WikiLeaks, detail separate meetings between senior US officials and Singapore's Foreign Affairs chiefs Peter Ho, Bilahari Kausikan and Tommy Koh.


The trio, who at the time of the 2008 and 2009 cables occupied some of the most senior positions in the foreign ministry, all give US officials damning assessments of Malaysia. According to one cable detailing a meeting in September 2008, Mr Kausikan told US Deputy Secretary of Defence for East Asia David Sedney there was a "distinct possibility of racial conflict" which could see ethnic Chinese "flee" Malaysia and "overwhelm" Singapore.

Mr Ho's assessment of Malaysia in March that year, given to another US official, is also unflattering and includes claims that former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad had been "throwing stones" at his replacement, Abdullah Badawi.

In his September meeting with Mr Sedney, Mr Kausikan savaged Thailand's political elite, labelling Thaksin Shinawatra as "corrupt" along with "everyone else, including the opposition". Mr Kausikan was also critical of Mr Thaksin's relationship with the Thai crown prince, saying he "made a mistake in pursuing a relationship with the crown prince by paying off the crown prince's gambling debts".

In a September 2009 meeting, Mr Koh savaged Japan and India, describing Japan as ''the big fat loser'' in the context of improving ties between China and ASEAN, a cable says, adding: "He was equally merciless towards India, describing his 'stupid Indian friends' as 'half in, half out' of ASEAN."

The cables documented remarks made by the three officials, who all gave damning assessments of Malaysia and the region during separate meetings in 2008 and 2009 with US officials.

Mr Ho and Mr Kausikan were both permanent secretaries at the MFA at the time, and the latter still holds that position. Mr Koh is the ministry’s ambassador-at-large.

One cable that deals with Malaysian opposition leader Mr Anwar’s sodomy case, dated November 2008, reveals that Singaporean intelligence officials told their Australian counterparts that Mr Anwar engaged in the conduct of which he is accused, a claim he has steadfastly denied.

It read: ”The Australians said that Singapore’s intelligence services and Lee Kuan Yew have told ONA (Australia’s Office of National Assessments) in their exchanges that opposition leader Anwar ’did indeed commit the acts for which he is currently indicted’.”

The document said the Singaporeans made this assessment on the basis of “technical intelligence”, a term likely to describe intercepted communications.

The ONA is also recorded as saying that Mr Anwar’s political enemies “engineered the circumstances from which the sodomy charges arose”.

“ONA assessed, and their Singapore counterparts concurred, ‘it was a set up job and he probably knew that, but walked into it anyway’,” the cable states.

Malaysian PM Najib Razak is labelled an "opportunist". (AP Photo)

Another cable at a meeting in September 2008 detailed Mr Kausikan telling US Deputy Secretary of Defence for East Asia, David Sedney, that there was a “distinct possibility of racial conflict” which could cause ethnic Chinese from Malaysia to “flee” and “overwhelm” Singapore.

“A lack of competent leadership is a real problem for Malaysia,” said Kausikan.

He added that ruling Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak needed to prevail politically in order to avoid prosecution in connection with the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

“Najib has his neck on the line in connection with a high-profile murder case,” he said.

In a cable earlier the same year, Mr Ho reportedly described the Malaysian PM as ”an opportunist” who would ”not hesitate” to be critical of Singapore if it is “expedient for him to do so.”
Thailand's political elite is dogged by "corruption at all levels". (AP file photo)

Damning assessments of other nations’ politicians were also made.

In the same September 2008 meeting with Mr Sedney, Mr Kausikan condemned Thailand’s political elite, indicating that Thaksin Shinawatra is “corrupt” along with “everyone else, including the opposition”.

Mr Kausikan also criticised Mr Thaksin’s close relationship with the Thai crown prince, saying that he “made a mistake in pursuing a relationship with the crown prince by paying off the crown prince’s gambling debts”.

In a September 2009 memo, Mr Koh made damning comments about Japan and India, labelling Japan as “the big fat loser” with regards to improving ties between China and ASEAN, with another cable saying, “He was equally merciless towards India, describing his ‘stupid Indian friends’ as ‘half in, half out’ of ASEAN.”

Mr Koh is also recorded praising China’s ”investment and intelligent diplomacy in the region”.

He is reported to have said, “I don’t fear China. I don’t fear being assimilated by China” while he also hailed its decision to invest in Africa ”without lecturing them about human rights and democracy as the West does”.