Singapore's leader vowed Monday to strengthen ties with Malaysia, which is now led by a historic rival following a game-changing election.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said during a visit by his Malaysian counterpart, Mahathir Mohamad, that the countries had a "special bond" and were each other's second-biggest trading partners. Singapore is also Malaysia's second-largest foreign investor.
Click to Gallery
Singapore's leader vowed Monday to strengthen ties with Malaysia, which is now led by a historic rival following a game-changing election.
Mahathir led Malaysia for 22 years before stepping down in 2003. During his term there were frequent sharp exchanges with neighboring Singapore and Lee's father, its first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
Mahathir is on his first official visit to Singapore since winning the election. He said he hopes the two countries will maintain good relations, even with different administrations in power.
Mahathir is also renegotiating a decades-old water treaty, and plans to raise the price of water sold to Singapore by more than 10 times.
"It is not often that we see countries which come together, and then separated and still be able to ... work together and help each other," Mahathir added.
"Singapore and Malaysia will always have a good place for each other in our hearts, and because of our proximity and interdependence, we will always have an interest in each other's development and success," Lee said, adding that he looked forward to working with Mahathir.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, right, inspects an honor guard with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during a visit at the Istana in Singapore, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. (Feline LimPool Photo via AP)
Mahathir led Malaysia for 22 years before stepping down in 2003. During his term there were frequent sharp exchanges with neighboring Singapore and Lee's father, its first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
In May, an electoral upset that toppled former Prime Minister Najib Razak brought Mahathir into power again. Mahathir had put aside a dispute with a former political nemesis to lead a four-party coalition to victory.
The 93-year-old plans to lead the country for at least two years before handing the reins to his former nemesis, Anwar Ibrahim.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, center, inspects an honor guard with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, center left, during a visit at the Istana in Singapore, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. (Feline LimPool Photo via AP)
Mahathir is on his first official visit to Singapore since winning the election. He said he hopes the two countries will maintain good relations, even with different administrations in power.
"Singapore and Malaysia are mutually dependent. Singapore has got no hinterland, but it must regard Malaysia as its hinterland. On the other hand, for a very long time, Malaysia had to depend on Singapore for its exports and imports," Mahathir said.
Neither leader addressed bumps in projects since Mahathir has taken office. He has put the brakes on the construction of a high-speed rail connecting the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, center, inspects an honor guard with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, center left, during a visit at the Istana in Singapore, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. (Feline LimPool Photo via AP)
Mahathir is also renegotiating a decades-old water treaty, and plans to raise the price of water sold to Singapore by more than 10 times.
On Monday, Mahathir expressed hope that the countries will be able to work together despite having a rivalry.
"Malaysia and Singapore are twins, in a way. Except that perhaps the elder twin is a little bit bigger than the younger twin and a little bit older," he quipped, to laughter.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, left, meets with Singapore's President Halimah Yacob at the Istana in SingaporeMonday, Nov. 12, 2018. (Feline LimPool Photo via AP)
"It is not often that we see countries which come together, and then separated and still be able to ... work together and help each other," Mahathir added.
The two countries were briefly merged in 1963, but they separated two years later due to political and economic differences.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, left, meets with Singapore's President Halimah Yacob at the Istana in Singapore, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018. (Feline LimPool Photo via AP)
DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.
The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.
“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”
Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.
The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.
Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.
“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”
It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.
“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”
Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.
First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”
Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.
“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”
For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.
“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
