SINGAPORE -- This year promises to usher in a new entente between Malaysia and Singapore, leading to better Asian regional cooperation and development. Singapore-Malaysian bilateral relations hit a new high after Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong made a one-day working visit to Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 13 to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak. Both sides now expect bilateral negotiations to go forward after being stalled for two years.

There were three other bilateral rendezvous between Malaysia and Singapore that week:

A Malaysia-Singapore Forum (primarily business people from both sides) was held in Singapore on Dec. 13. Malaysian dignitaries included Datuk Mustapha Mohamed, minister in the prime minister's office (and director general of the National Economic Action Council); Hishamuddin Hussein, education minister; and the chief ministers of Malaysian states Melaka, Penang and Perak. Significantly, Hishamuddin and Singapore Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam decided to have Singaporean and Malaysian schools organize joint activities to encourage bonding by youths.