Why Singapore and Malaysia Are Locking Horns Again

Malaysia and Singapore have endured their share of neighborly squabbles in the five decades since the Southeast Asian nations split, not least when Mahathir Mohamad was running Malaysia from 1981 to 2003. Relations improved markedly under Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, but he suffered a shock election defeat in May that returned Mahathir to power. With the 93-year-old’s political renaissance, there’s been a return of cross-border tension over longstanding issues such as water supply, to newer topics like a proposed high-speed rail link.

The tiny island state of Singapore sits at the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula, separated by a 50-kilometer (31-mile) shipping lane called the Johor Strait. There’s no tunnel between the countries but there are two bridges, including a 1-kilometer road link called the Causeway. The countries are each other’s second-biggest two-way trading partners.