The ongoing territorial dispute between Singapore and Malaysia is not just between two countries.

In Malaysia itself, the issue is about pitting the old against the new within the fractious political elite.

Old government blaming new government

On Dec. 8, former youth and sports minister and former United Malays National Organisation (Umno) Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin tweeted to diss Malaysia's Pakatan Harapan government of the day for its seeming inaction by not standing up for Malaysia enough.

Khairy's exact words were:

Singapore Ministers coming out one after the other stating their claim publicly. Our govt’s response: wait for talks. Come on, we need to go into talks having made a robust public case & rallied public opinion. Stand up for Malaysia!

His tweet was a response to Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing's first comments on the ongoing territorial dispute.

Singapore Ministers coming out one after the other stating their claim publicly. Our govt’s response: wait for talks. Come on, we need to go into talks having made a robust public case & rallied public opinion. Stand up for Malaysia! https://t.co/h3RSlkdXwm

— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj) December 8, 2018

Khairy was ousted from office following the May 2018 election in Malaysia.

Clapback

But Khairy received a swift clapback from Terengganu Pakatan Harapan chairman, Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad.

Raja Bahrin in turn asked why Khairy and his former ruling party Barisan Nasional (BN) ministers did not stand up to Singapore when they were in power and if Khairy had just snapped out of his "dream".

"Khairy, with so much passion, has urged Pakatan Harapan ministers to speak out against Singapore's actions concerning the Tuas waters and the Seletar airspace," Raja Bahrin issued a Dec. 9 statement saying.

"So congratulations to Khairy for snapping out of his dream after years of being a minister, for he has only now realised that those in government should protest against Singapore's actions of encroaching upon Malaysia's airspace and waters..."

Raja Bahrin's statement added: "The question is, why did Khairy and other Umno ministers do that when they were in power?

"Especially since Khairy was the youth and sports minister, who should think about the future generations of Malaysians."

Counter accusations

Not satisfied with just a rebuttal, Raja Bahrin issued an accusation of his own.

In his statement, Raja Bahrin also cited the High-speed Rail (HSR) project inked by the BN administration, saying that it would benefit Singapore more than Malaysia, as studies have shown.

"Why would Malaysia be willing to spend almost RM90 billion, and Singapore only RM10 billion, if the benefits are to be enjoyed by the latter?"

He pointed out: "Why did Khairy and Umno Cabinet ministers did not speak up on this issue when they were in power? It was the Harapan administration that postponed the project."

Raja Bahrin accused Khairy of attempting to fuel tensions between leaders of both countries, and claimed that the opposition was hoping that "external pressure" would be exerted upon the Harapan administration.

Khairy's previous comments

Previously, Khairy had also commented on the Pedra Branca issue, suggesting that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was using it to garner political support.