MALAYSIA has become a beacon for democracy in the region following the peaceful transition of power and electoral upset on May 9, a group of activists said after a meeting with the prime minister today.

The group was led by Singaporean dissident lawyer Tan Wah-Piow and local activist Hishammuddin Rais.

Tan, who was exiled from the island republic in 1976, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reignited hope that change was possible through the ballot box.

“The purpose of the visit today was to explore his vision of a future relationship between Malaysia and Singapore,” Tan said after the hour-long meeting at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

With them was former national swimmer turned activist Thum Ping Tjin.

Tan said that the group also invited Dr Mahathir to be a keynote speaker for a conference to be held next year organised with the Force for the Renewal of South East Asia civil society group.

Tan, who lives in the United Kingdom, however, denied the group had sought help from Malaysia on behalf of the city-state’s opposition parties.

Singapore is now the only nation that has been governed by one party since its independence. The country must hold its next parliamentary elections by January 2021. – August 30, 2018.