Singaporean President S.R. Nathan began a five-day visit to Malaysia on Monday, receiving a red-carpet welcome that underscored improving ties between the neighbors after years of disputes. Nathan met King Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail at Malaysia's Parliament, where he inspected an honor guard in his first official visit to Malaysia since becoming president in 1999. No formal talks were scheduled during Nathan's visit on a wide range of long-standing bilateral spats, including how much Malaysia charges Singapore for water it supplies to the city-state, and a Malaysian plan to build a new bridge linking both countries.
