Abdullah: Set up panel to monitor reclamation works

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB AND K.SAITHURUKA

KUALA LUMPUR: The independent panel of experts to look into the effects of Singapore’s reclamation project should be set up as soon as possible, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. 

“And I hope Singapore will accept the decision of the team of experts to ensure the reclamation does not harm our environment. This is of utmost importance. 

“Singapore should have nothing to fear,” the Deputy Prime Minister said when commenting on the preliminary decision by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg on Malaysia’s objection to the reclamation works. 

He said Malaysia hoped that Singapore would halt land reclamation works until the panel had been set up. 

Malaysia was of the view it was better if Singapore suspended the work for practical reasons, he added. 

“Because if they continued and the experts find that what they are doing has adverse effect on our environment, then we will need to do more work to undo the damage. 

“We cannot force Singapore to stop because that was not what was decided by the tribunal. But it is just a request from us that they stop until it has been assessed by the experts,” Abdullah told reporters after attending a Barisan Nasional youth gathering at PWTC. 

Abdullah said Malaysia did not get 100% of what it wanted from ITLOS decision but neither did Singapore. 

“So yes, there is some feeling of dissatisfaction on our part but we have to accept the decision. We are ready to accept it. Singapore too did not get everything it wanted and they too must adhere to the decision.” 

At another function, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim pointed out that the tribunal’s decision on the reclamation tussle had yet to be resolved because its findings were not final. 

“As Malaysians, we would want an appropriate decision but Singaporeans would also want the same,” he said. 

Dr Rais said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s remark that Singapore should stop reclamation work pending a final decision was a positive one. 

“Since the international court needs reports from both sides, the interim time should be used in goodwill. If Singapore continues with the works, then the goodwill does not exist,” he said, adding that both countries should respect the finding. 

On Wednesday, the ITLOS ruled that Singapore could not conduct land reclamation in ways that caused “irreparable prejudice” to Malaysia’s rights and caused serious harm to the marine environment. 

Since January last year, Malaysia had protested against Singapore’s unilateral reclamation activities along the straits that they share and had resorted to filing a case with the tribunal after negotiations between the two countries broke down two months ago. 

Underlying Malaysia’s concerns are the harm done to the marine environment along the straits, navigational difficulties brought about by a narrower channel at Pulau Tekong and infringement of her territorial waters at the area called Point 20 by reclamation work at Tuas. 

The reclamation works, involving 5,214ha of sea area and expected to be completed in 2010, will lengthen the headland in Tuas by 7km and double the size of Pulau Tekong. 

Because of the reclamation work in Pulau Tekong, the distance between the island and Malaysia’s Pularek naval training base at Tanjong Pengelih has been reduced to 0.75km from 1.8km.    

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