Henry Tan ( No bridge over troubled waters ) probably did not understand my letter.

Never once did I suggest that Singapore "offer to pay 12 sen per thousand gallon". My words were "A suggestion of 12 sen, albeit a lame attempt to index-link the historic 3 sen, will surely be construed as an offer that flies against all reasonable things."

As your Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew once said, "If you have to quote me, at least quote me correctly"

And indeed, it was misconstrued by the Malaysian side as yet another backward step and which the mainstream Singapore press gleefully and knee-jerk fashion chorused in adulation; and the sad thing is that innocent and perhaps well-meaning readers like Henry Tan swallowed hook, line and sinker: My country's leaders, right or wrong.

And the choice of Mr Tan's words "moving goal posts" is yet another manifestation of the Singapore mass media conditioning the thought of its people. Drum out the words enough times through The Straits Times and soon, every Singaporean will believe it to be the gospel truth.

But the saddest part is that well-meaning citizens like Tan have been conditioned to think the original title of my letter i.e. "My country's leaders, right or wrong".

But the crux of my thesis is that the mainstream press did not do its duties to soften and temper the discussion. What the press on both sides did was act as agent provocateur to egg on the two parties to retreat to their entrenched positions, hardly a suitable stance to adopt when you approach a negotiation table.

Yet we have the likes of Ms Chua of ST frying yesterday's fried rice, justifying the obdurate legalistic position taken by the Singapore leaders. Yet we have Malaysian columnists and leader writers egging on their ministers to demand this and that and justifying whatever demands made, however ridiculous.

Inconsequential issues like a missed lunch was played to the hilt, forgetting why the Malaysian delegation was there for.

And of course, when the press is being criticised for its stand, surely it will find it embarrassing to print my letter. The issue, contrary to Tan's views, is not stale but very much on the bubble and remains the priority item on the list of outstanding issues between Malaysia and Singapore.

And I urge Tan to be truthful; do you really relish the prospects of drinking recycled sewage water, otherwise crudely called jamban chooi (toilet water)? None of my friends and relatives relishes the idea.

I remember in the early 1970s when then UK prime minister Edward Heath was shown round a newly-opened sewerage water treatment plant all the way from input to the final output. When offered a glass of the refined water, Heath politely refused. The 'yuk' factor is far too great. Are you saying Singaporeans do not have this 'yuk' factor?

I remain true to the spirit that one day perhaps, Singapore will be reunified with the rest of Malaysia. In the meantime, when we negotiate, there must be give and take. The mainstream press must alter its stance to support compromises from both sides and not continue, as it is doing now, cheering the adoption of entrenched positions and prolonging the sore thorn plaguing the relationship between our two nations.