In a letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew extends an apology. But between the lines, he takes a swipe at former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Lee, who appeared to be standing by his controversial statement, said he never intended to cause problems for Malaysia's current administration after a decade of problematic relations with Mahathir.

The former Singaporean prime minister also raised the contentious bridge issue, which has soured the relationship between Abdullah and Mahathir.

Mahathir was among those who flayed Lee for saying the Chinese in Malaysia are marginalised.

"Since you (Abdullah) took over as prime minister, relations between our two countries have much improved. Singaporeans and, I believe, Malaysians too, appreciate this.

"I am sorry what I said has caused you a great deal of discomfort. After a decade of troubled relations with your predecessor, it is the last thing I wanted," Lee said in his letter.

Last week, Abdullah had written to Lee asking him for an explanation over his remark which drew widespread protests.

Bridge issue

In his three-page letter, the 83-year-old Singaporean minister also included a transcript from the dialogue where he made the controversial remarks. It read:

"Let me sum it up nicely, why you must have a government in Singapore which is really firm, stout-hearted, subtle and resolute. My neighbours both (Malaysia and Indonesia) have problems with their Chinese. They (the Chinese) are successful, they are hardworking and therefore, they are systematically marginalised, even in education. There are quotas to prevent you.

"So you have got to make money to go abroad or go to one of the private universities which are being set up. And they want Singapore, to put it simply, to be like their Chinese, compliant. So every time we say 'no' to some scheme to knock down the Causeway and build a bridge, he (Mahathir) says, 'Oh, you're not cooperative, you're only thinking of yourself'. For no rhyme or reason, we knock down a Causeway nearly 100 years old, which served us well.

"He (Mahathir) wants to build a bridge it looks pretty and he says ships will sail and his containers can move from the East Coast to the West Coast via this. But we saw no... So, we said, 'All right, if you give us commensurate benefits, we'll agree.' But you need a government who'll be able to, not only have the gumption, but the skill to say 'no' in a very quiet, polite way that doesn't provoke them into doing something silly."

While Lee said Abdullah's stand on the bridge issue had cemented ties between the two nations, Mahathir had criticised his successor for failing to protect the sovereignty of the nation.

"On the bridge and the half bridge to remove the Causeway, you (Abdullah) made the position of your government clear that Malaysia respects legally binding agreements and acts in accordance with international law...This respect for the law is the basis for sound long-term relations between us," he added.

Said it before

Lee also said Mahathir and other Umno leaders have warned Malays here that if they lose power, they risk the same fate as the Malays in Singapore, whom they claim are marginalised and discriminated against.

There was also an annex which listed numerous media reports containing comments from Malaysian leaders about the marginalisation of Singapore Malays.

The annex traced over a dozen of such reports from the Malaysian media dating back from August 1998 till as recent as Sept 3 this year.

"And from time to time when Malaysian politicians attack Singapore fiercely over some bilateral issue, some of them tell us privately that we should just accept this as part of Malaysian politics and not react.

"Singapore understands the reality of Malaysian politics. We have never protested against these attacks ... except to clarify our position when necessary," he added.

Lee who also stood by his remarks, said: "I have not said anything more than what I have said many times before. In fact, I have said less than what I have written in my memoirs published in 1998."

"I had no intention to meddle in your politics. Indeed, I do not have the power to influence Malaysia's politics or to incite the feelings of the Chinese in Malaysia," he added.

Lee Kuan Yew's full letter and annex