Lim Wee Kiak: Lessons from an unfortunate event

From a missing jet to the Crimea crisis and row with Indonesia over the naming of a warship, external issues have dominated local headlines in recent weeks. As head of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, Dr Lim Wee Kiak has been the point man in asking the Government for its position on these matters. He tells Leonard Lim that the MH370 crisis was a missed opportunity for ASEAN to present a united, cohesive front.

The Straits Times, 5 Apr 2014

The mystery of Flight MH370 has been hogging headlines for several weeks. What are your thoughts on how Malaysia and the region handled the issue?

It's an unfortunate event - our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. But it's something our Malaysian counterparts could have done better in terms of communication and rolling out information.

In the first few days, there were many conflicting reports. There's no single spokesperson. That adds a lot of confusion and grief to family members.

If Malaysia didn't have information, they should have just said they had no information, rather than come up with theories.

If you look at what happened in the MI185 and SQ006 incidents (the first was a SilkAir flight that crashed in Indonesia in 1997, and the second, a Singapore Airlines flight that crashed in Taiwan in 2000), SIA had better media management. There was just one spokesman; at least information was clear.


Apart from Malaysia, how did neighbouring countries handle the issue?

It revealed glaring gaps in communication among ASEAN countries. What I found most appalling was that the plane was in the heart of ASEAN, flying towards Vietnam in the South China Sea. Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines all nearby. How could everybody miss the plane? If the plane really made a U-turn, wouldn't somebody's radar have caught it?


But there were subsequent reports that Malaysia's radar systems did pick up something.

If Malaysian radar had already detected the change of direction, Malaysia should have shared this information early so as not to waste precious resources from many other countries including Singapore, and more importantly, time searching the wrong areas.

It's quite disturbing. We're moving towards an ASEAN Community by next year. One of the things we talk about is an open skies policy, to encourage more air travel. If Asean can't even have good management of airspace, a coordinated approach in sharing information, then it doesn't present a good image to the outside world. I'm raising this issue in Parliament (at the next sitting on April 14).

Given the row with China over the South China Sea (several ASEAN countries have overlapping claims with each other and China over islands in those waters), this episode may give China a reason to say they should manage the airspace over South China Sea. That may directly or indirectly imply the sea and islands (under dispute) as well.

This MH370 case was an opportunity for ASEAN to come together, to show solidarity, bring everybody's assets together. It was missed. To cooperate at such a level will lessen the possibility of conflict among member states.

There's been speculation that countries are hiding their military capabilities. That's sad. This is the time for you to use your assets to help someone else.


But last Friday, Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam said he felt ASEAN countries were not tardy in their response. He also said their response must be seen in the context of the resources these countries have.

I understand where he's coming from. But from the global point of view, it seems like ASEAN is not being cooperative. As we move towards an ASEAN Community in 2015, I hope the governments will see how ASEAN can have better coordination if similar incidents happen in future.

Typhoon Haiyan last year in the Philippines was another wasted opportunity. Singapore contributed with humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, our military was having an exercise in Australia at the time. Perhaps, they could have swung the whole exercise up to the Philippines to assist.


There was a diplomatic spat in February, when Indonesia named a warship after the two marines who bombed MacDonald House in 1965. The issue came up again later, when two soliders dressed up as the bombers at an international defence event in Jakarta. Will this issue come up from time to time? What can be done?

It was never closed. It was swept under the carpet by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew offering flowers (on the marines' graves in Jakarta in 1973), and Suharto's visit to Singapore. But they had never discussed this issue openly and had closure between the two countries.

I maintain that if you send soldiers over to bomb civilian targets, it's an act of terror. But we have to be sensitive. We're next to a big neighbour. They're not wrong to say Singapore can't do anything, only make noise. But it's worse if you don't make any noise. You better make the right amount of noise.

We also have to be aware it's their presidential election year. When it's over, we can go back to the Indonesians to discuss how to handle these very sensitive issues, without affecting the bilateral relationship.


You grew up in a shophouse in Nee Soon Village, and now you are an MP there. Any good memories?

I spent 33 years there. Everybody was very friendly. All the children played together during school holidays. But in today's busy world, children have a lot of supplementary programmes, they have less time to play together with their neighbours.


As an MP, what can you do?

In 2007, instead of organising block parties, we started floor parties in my division. The People's Association extended this initiative to the national level and showcased it as a good model for all 580 residents' committees to follow.

I always say you can buy the best home but you can't buy the best neighbour. That has to be earned through your actions.

Last November, an HDB flat in my division was on fire. The neighbours and RC members broke down the door and rescued three children. Both parents were working at that time.

We had a party for this particular floor a few weeks ago. The owner of that unit was in tears, thanking the neighbours for saving his children. These are shining examples that Singapore is not as cold as you think it is.


Do you talk to your family about your political life, especially your children?

I tend to expose them more to things outside Singapore (Dr Lim has three children aged between 14 and 18). I find young people don't have much appreciation of regional issues.

I bring young people to my MPS (Meet-the-People Sessions). There are about six to eight, from secondary school to junior college level.

Usually after MPS, we have coffee and I explain to them government policies. All policies are good but they are like medicine, even the best has side effects. The issue is how to reduce the side effects.

THE SUPPER CLUB LIM WEE KIAK
Part 1: ASEAN could have done better in MH370 crisis
Part 2: Educating the young about global events
Supper with Lim Wee Kiak -RazorTV
MP Lim Wee Kiak retracts criticisms of M'sia over MH370