In the only reference to Michael Backman's classic book on the "dark side of business in Asia" Asian Eclipse, Malaysia's government-controlled press highlighted Backman's statement that PM Mahathir had done an immense amount to raise pride amongst Malaysians. Backman got it right of course, but it was a small para within a book that was a mass indictment on the Asian way of business - Malaysia included.

Along with the government-directed local press spin that international media is "unfair" in their reporting of Malaysia (and there is some truth to that, but no more so than for any foreign country's affairs written from the perspective of another's values - and certainly less so than the Malaysian press' own reporting of news from other countries), many Malaysians display a remarkably thin skin when it comes to criticism. Justified or not, personal or otherwise, it is often perceived as a personal attack, and the response is invariably personal and attacks the messenger rather the issues. It suggests that Malaysia still has some way to go in the self-respect department, despite Backman's observation, and despite the fact that Malaysia's achievements prove it.

Yet it is not only Western countries that get a dose of the feisty Malaysian fragile ego. Singapore and Malaysia have been engaged in an on-again off-again war over bilateral relations for more years than can be remembered - most probably since the day they split. Singapore and Malaysia have locked arms recently over comments by Singapore Senior Minister Lee's on positive racial discimination in Malaysia, the location of the Singapore customs and railway station, the cost of water from Malaysia and over-flying in Malaysia by Singapore jets, just to name a few.

No sooner that the press in Malaysia and Singapore announces that they are friends again the public politically-correct boofheads start it all over again.

Well it fills up newspaper column inches anyway where a lot of news cant be reported and they run out of full transcripts of PM's speeches from the day before.

The cross-border sniping has escalated recently as Singapore continues to pursue bilateral agreements with Malaysian favourite-countries-to-hate such as Australia and New Zealand. While Singapore cements it's global rather than regional image, it politely ignores Malaysia's aspirations for East Asian Caucuses, and an Asian and South East Asian trade block.

Interesting comparative reading today from both sides of the border...

From the Singapore Straits Times, Bilateral issues: Two countries, two reactions and from the Malaysian Star - Don’t harp on old bilateral issues, Goh tells Malaysia.

Read 'em and weep...