Kuan Yew's visit is more than "a trip down memory lane"

"My neighbours both have problems with their Chinese. They are successful, they're hardworking and therefore they are systematically marginalised, even in education"

Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who is in Kuala Lumpur had a private meeting with Najib before the Singapore delegation of ministers joined them

Singapore's ministers are building on the good foundation laid by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's recent visit to Singapore, said Singapore's Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew.

It's been nearly 50 years but the man who cried when Malaysia kicked Singapore out of the federation is still curious about how the Chinese in Malaysia are doing.

It was telling that former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's first diplomatic meeting in his week-long visit to Malaysia was with MCA leaders last night.

The 90-minute meeting between Singapore's minister mentor and five MCA leaders led by president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat saw an exchange on various issues that continue to concern the Chinese in Malaysia.

It is no secret that education and economic policies are a constant thorn in the side for MCA, who are now struggling to regain the support of the Chinese electorate, where eight out of 10 are said to support the opposition.

Ong told reporters that Lee exchanged notes on the "competitiveness of the Chinese and the political situation in Malaysia."

Education systems were also on the agenda and the presence of MCA's education point man and Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong would have made for very current discussions on government scholarships and classes conducted in Chinese.