KLANG, Sept 14 — Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has dismissed remarks by Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew that Malaysia would have enjoyed better race relation if the republic was not expelled.

Khalid told reporters here today that both countries have progressed since the separation in 1965 and must find ways to work together.

“Historical statement, a ‘what if’ statement is not an issue today,” said Khalid.

“We must accept the fact that both Malaysia and Singapore have progressed since then,” he added.

But Khalid conceded that the founding father of modern Singapore had a right to express his mind about the issue.

“He has every right to make the statement, just like Mahathir,” he said.

In an interview with the New York Times early this month, Lee had said that Malaysians would be enjoying his city-state’s brand of nationalism and multi-racialism today, if both nations had not separated.

The published interview did not feature his remarks on Malaysia. They were contained in a transcript of the interview published on the official website of Singapore’s prime minister’s office.

Lee claimed that if Malaysia’s founding father Tunku Abdul Rahman had decided to keep both nations together 45 years ago, much of what Singapore had achieved today in terms of equality among the races would be likewise be achieved in Malaysia.

The longest serving Singapore prime minister also claimed that Malaysia’s pro-Malay policy has resulted in segregated communities.

He explained that while he was satisfied with race relations in Singapore, it still remained his regret that this could not have been done on a larger scale together with Malaysia.

Khalid said both countries have been subjected to different constraints and such a comparison was not accurate.

“You can’t say Singapore has progressed while Malaysia has not. Malaysia’s progress is subject to several constraints and so is Singapore,” said Khalid.

“The future is not about that, it’s about how we can work together,” he said.