Pedra Branca @ stake

[Apollo]

Asia-Pacific News

Singapore, Malaysia go to international court to settle island row

 

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/a...tle_island_row

 

Singapore - Singapore and Malaysia will appear before the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands next week to settle their claims to a strategically located island.

 

Both countries have said they will accept the court's decision on Pedra Branca and two outcrops in the Singapore Strait as the final word in the 28-year disagreement.

 

The hearings in the Hague, where the 15-member court is located, follow three rounds of pleadings between the two countries from March 2004 to November 2005.

 

The city-state has exercised sovereignty over the island since the 1840s when the British colonial government built a lighthouse there. The island, about 40 kilometres east of Singapore, is strategically located at the eastern entrance of the strait.

 

Malaysia staked its claim to the island in 1979 and calls it Pulau Batu Putih, triggering the row.

 

An agreement was signed on February 6, 2003 to submit the dispute to the international body.

 

The court said on its website Wednesday that the city-state will have four days starting November 6 to present its case. Malaysia will make its case from November 13 to 16.

 

The court has set aside three weeks for the case, a Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said.

[Adwin]

Hope a decision can be made... so that the singapore navy won't to patrol there ever so frequently.

[Vidz]

i have more faith in the SG team

[Tunge]

any experts care to shed some light as to how this island is "strategically located", what are the benefits of gaining rights to that island?

 

or is it more of a matter of pride.

[Porker]

Mr Janitor, you changed job from toylet man to Ma Piu Poh man already ah

[Apollo]

the extent of the sea into the malacca straits lah... warouz..

 

this boundary will also affect how far our planes can fly.

[Tiger21]

We need the rocks there for our construction sector...

 

Thats why very important to us.

[Kranjipioneer]

If we should fail, we would probably have to get their permission everytime our ships need to veer into their territorial waters.

[Upandcoming]

haha no offence..

 

but erh ur facts r wrong. its South China Sea not Malacca Straits.

 

Pedra Branca (PB in short) is the rotating door to South China Sea. Why rotating door because both ways. Ships coming down from SCS and maybe P.O. and going up to India/Middle Eastern areas have this route as a choice. I say choice because not all mariners for various concerns/implications/planning may choose other passage.

 

Those who are familiar with International Law and UNCLOS (Laws of the Sea) may understand it in part as Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) etc kind of concerns. However, beyond that, it also means that our territorial water sees a positive difference. When i mention that, it definitely rings a bell of strategic reasons to anyone. Thats why its important. That point is a 'choke point' which controls sea lanes of communication. I believe in so doing Singapore looks for a safe and freedom of passage in keeping our access to vital Sea Lanes open.

 

We operate another Lighthouse at P.Pisang. That's malaysia soil but MPA is given right to operate there. We just operate and maintain under an agreement with Johore. We don't fly our flags there cos they said we shouldnt, we abide because they own it. Maps up till 1979 have shown P.B as PB (Singapura), the neighbours ammended them to just PB from henceforth and started challenging, but they never once demanded we pull the flag down cos they well knew in which hands it rightfully laid since British times. And thats yeah..long.

 

An analogy given is as such:- imagine this. You have a compound house with a garden. You have lived there all your life. Your parents have lived there all their lives. Your grandparents had lived there all their lives. Nobody has ever challenged your ownership or your forefathers' ownership of that property. You have lived peacefully there. Then suddenly one of the neighbours says: "Hey, your house belongs to me." And he says he has found some ancient document in his attic and this house belongs to him. You maintain your legal rights of course, and he says he is going to go to court. You said, well, instead of coming to blows, just go ahead. Take legal action.

 

 

You get up one morning, and lo and behold, you find your neighbour climbing the fence, wanting to pitch a tent in your garden, and saying, "Look, since now I am challenging it, there is a dispute, I am entitled to pitch a tent and help you safeguard your property." You will of course say no, isn''t it?

 

 

So, we have to maintain observance of international law and observance of international law is that the status quo has to be maintained and the status quo is that Singapore has always been in sovereignty, control and ownership of the territory and of the waters, and that continues to be the case, and will continue to be the case, until and unless the International Court were to rule otherwise.Since we have both as sovereign states agree to take this to ICJ and agrees to abide by whichever ruling. Its our soil bros/sis

[Upandcoming]

by the way it does not affect how far our planes can fly bro =)

 

There are standard assigned places out there from my understanding, its fair workings out there if you read maritime publications. =)

 

it affects the way they get out perhaps yes, given the way a few yrs back i rem the whole hooooohaaaa they made over our flights passing over them. Even when our flyboys wanted to get a shorter route to South China Sea to rescue people. they are realli....rrr

[Moeykf]

Asia-Pacific News

Singapore, Malaysia go to international court to settle island row

 

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/a...tle_island_row

 

Singapore - Singapore and Malaysia will appear before the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands next week to settle their claims to a strategically located island.

 

Both countries have said they will accept the court's decision on Pedra Branca and two outcrops in the Singapore Strait as the final word in the 28-year disagreement.

 

The hearings in the Hague, where the 15-member court is located, follow three rounds of pleadings between the two countries from March 2004 to November 2005.

 

The city-state has exercised sovereignty over the island since the 1840s when the British colonial government built a lighthouse there. The island, about 40 kilometres east of Singapore, is strategically located at the eastern entrance of the strait.

 

Malaysia staked its claim to the island in 1979 and calls it Pulau Batu Putih, triggering the row.

 

An agreement was signed on February 6, 2003 to submit the dispute to the international body.

 

The court said on its website Wednesday that the city-state will have four days starting November 6 to present its case. Malaysia will make its case from November 13 to 16.

 

The court has set aside three weeks for the case, a Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said.

 

"Malaysia staked its claim to the island in 1979 and calls it Pulau Batu Putih, triggering the row. "

 

they will do it again and again not only this small strategic land case.....they jus claim first then bring to court.

[Upandcoming]

may not be the case. every ship has the right to innocent passage even warships. However not hostile intentions must be displayed.

 

but yea farnie things can be done to deny our vital sea lines of comms. =)

[Upandcoming]

ohh yes one of their lawyers even claim p.tekong kecil is theirs! oly when their Foreign Minister immediately say our last outstanding issue with them is P.B did it die down

[Moeykf]

sooner or later case lor. they jus claim what they "think" its theirs only.....which is crap. they shld claim the whole south east asia then.

[Upandcoming]

haha all the quarrels and silly stuff came in during someone's last yrs of rule perhaps? lol

[Moeykf]

hehe

[Apollo]

not just singapore lah... just last month saw on china news, chinese defense experts grumbling abt our 5 pact nation defense exercise in se asia. claimed this is a conspiracy to block off china's trade fr the indian ocean by a nos of regional sea power. (no nid to guess who they trying to accuse).

[Adrianli]

any experts care to shed some light as to how this island is "strategically located", what are the benefits of gaining rights to that island?

 

or is it more of a matter of pride.

 

 

Its a very good outpost for lookout on MY naval ships. Tis provides intelligence to our Mindef how many ships they have deployed.

 

 

Now u wonder why there r so many hi-tech equipments there when the island is really far far away from SG.