Let’s not lose more of our islands

WE have just lost Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore and I hope it will be the last. The Malaysian Government must ensure that all islands, outcrops and atolls that belong to us in the South China Sea, the Straits of Malacca and around Sabah and Sarawak are properly marked and documented to be known to the world that they belong to us. We cannot afford to lose any more land to foreign countries.

Besides ascertaining the locations of islands, outcrops and atolls that belong to us, we must do more than just claiming they belong to us and leave them as they are. If they are large ones they must be inhabited and developed on a permanent basis.

Some of them could be far away but efforts must be made to encourage Malaysians to live and develop these places.

Another immediate effort is to look into all ancient agreements that the British made with our rulers like the one on Pulau Batu Puteh. These agreements must be revoked as they were made when Malaysia (or Malaya at that point of time) had no formal government and the rulers were at the beck and call of the British.

This is modern time and Malaysia has an elected government and any agreement made by the British must be looked into and if need be, revoked. We cannot have foreigners administering or governing even an inch of our land.

If lighthouses must be operated, then it should be done by us and not by foreigners like at Pulau Pisang, off Pontian.

As a mark of ownership and loyalty to the country, non-governmental organisations and corporate entities should be encouraged to erect flag poles and fly the Jalur Gemilang on all the islands, outcrops and atolls.

MOHD GHAZALI OSMAN,
Ipoh.

Stay Away From Middle Rocks For A While - Najib

PUTRAJAYA, May 25 - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Sunday advised Malaysians to stay away from Middle Rocks for a while until further advice from the government.

He said the country's technical committee was still preparing the recommendations, following the International Court of Justice ruling on Friday that Malaysia had sovereignty over Middle Rocks and the recommendations were expected to be ready in two weeks' time.

"The best thing is, wait for the technical committee to come up with its recommendations and then we will advise accordingly.

"Otherwise, there will be some confusion on the ground," he told reporters after launching the national-level Unity Month Celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here.

Najib was asked to comment on conflicting news reports that local fishermen could now operate freely in the waters off Middle Rocks while another news report advised them to stay away from Middle Rocks for the time being.

The first news report quoted senior lecturer with the Malay World and Civilisation Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Prof Dr Nik Anuar Nik Mahmud while the second quoted Federal Marine Police Commander Senior Assistant Commissioner II Isa Munir.

Both made their comments, following the ICJ judgement in which 15 judges were in favour of Malaysia while one judge was favour of Singapore for the disputed maritime feature - Bernama

Jauhi sementara Batuan Tengah

PUTRAJAYA 25 Mei - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menasihatkan nelayan-nelayan di Johor supaya tidak menjalankan sebarang aktiviti tangkapan ikan di perairan Batuan Tengah (Middle Rocks) dalam tempoh dua minggu ini.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, mereka perlu menunggu keputusan yang bakal dicapai dalam mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Teknikal Malaysia-Singapura bagi memperincikan kawasan perairan antara Batu Putih dengan Batuan Tengah serta Tubir Selatan (South Ledge).

Beliau berkata, semua pihak perlu menunggu keputusan jawatankuasa kerana ia amat penting bagi mengelakkan keraguan antara Kerajaan Malaysia dan Singapura.

"Langkah yang terbaik, tunggu Jawatankuasa Teknikal memberikan cadangan dan kita akan mengumumkannya nanti. Proses ini tidak akan mengambil masa panjang.

"Menurut Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim (Menteri Luar) ia mengambil masa dalam dua minggu, bila sudah siap Wisma Putra akan buat pengumuman pertengahan Jun nanti," katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Terdahulu beliau merasmikan majlis sambutan Bulan Perpaduan Peringkat Kebangsaan anjuran Kementerian Perpaduan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC) di sini.

Sehubungan itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri meminta para nelayan supaya menunggu sehingga pengumuman rasmi dikeluarkan oleh pihak kerajaan.

ICJ dalam keputusannya kelmarin, menetapkan kedudukan Tubir Selatan ditentukan menerusi rundingan antara Malaysia dan Singapura bagi menentukan perairan negara mana ia terletak.

Sejak 1986 selepas timbulnya pertikaian ke atas Batu Putih, Singapura telah menghantar kapal tentera lautnya ke situ dan menjalankan rondaan tetap 24 jam di perairan ketiga-tiga bentuk maritim tersebut.

Situasi itu telah mencetuskan ketegangan dan bahaya apabila nelayan-nelayan Johor telah dihalau oleh pasukan peronda laut Singapura daripada perairan tradisional serta tempat pelindungan mereka di sekitar Batu Putih.

Kapal peronda Malaysia serta para pegawai-pegawainya juga tidak boleh mendekati bukan sahaja Batu Putih malah Batuan Tengah dan Tubir Selatan kerana dihalang oleh kapal peronda Singapura.

Semalam, Ejen Bersama, Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin dipetik sebagai berkata, nelayan-nelayan di Johor terutamanya kawasan Pengerang yang dihalang selama 22 tahun daripada mendekati perairan Batuan Tengah, kini bebas menangkap ikan di kawasan terbabit berikutan keputusan ICJ mengekalkan kedaulatan bentuk maritim itu kepada Malaysia.

Menurutnya, Singapura yang sebelum ini bertindak mengawal perairan di Batu Putih, Batuan Tengah dan Tubir Selatan sejak tahun 1986, tidak lagi mempunyai kebebasan untuk berbuat demikian kerana bidang kuasa mereka kini terhad kepada Batu Putih semata-mata - Utusan Malaysia

Nelayan boleh ke Batuan Tengah mulai Jun: Najib

Oleh Azrina Ahzan dan Johan Afandi

PUTRAJAYA: Nelayan tempatan dijangka boleh mula menangkap ikan di perairan Batuan Tengah yang dipercayai kaya dengan hasil maritim, selepas Jawatankuasa Teknikal Malaysia-Singapura mengeluarkan garis panduan rasmi mengenai kegiatan itu, pertengahan bulan depan.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, berkata perkara itu penting untuk mengelak timbul masalah dengan Singapura jika nelayan tempatan menangkap ikan di perairan itu selepas ia disahkan menjadi milik Malaysia oleh Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) Jumaat lalu.

Katanya, walaupun ICJ sudah mengesahkan perairan Batuan Tengah adalah milik Malaysia, nelayan tempatan dinasihatkan menunggu keputusan dan cadangan jawatankuasa teknikal itu bagi mengelak timbul sebarang salah faham.

"Ia tidak akan mengambil masa lama kerana saya difahamkan mereka memerlukan hanya dua minggu lagi dan Kementerian Luar dijangka membuat pengumuman mengenainya pertengahan bulan depan," katanya selepas melancarkan majlis sambutan Bulan Perpaduan Peringkat Kebangsaan 2008, di sini, semalam.

Najib mengulas kenyataan beberapa pihak berhubung keputusan ICJ menyerahkan hak kedaulatan Batuan Tengah kepada Malaysia, sekali gus membolehkan nelayan Malaysia menangkap ikan di perairan itu tanpa bimbang diganggu pihak berkuasa Singapura.

Ejen Bersama Malaysia dalam isu tuntutan Batu Puteh, Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin, berkata kini tidak timbul halangan untuk rakyat Malaysia pergi ke kawasan perairan Batuan Tengah yang tidak sampai satu kilometer dari Batu Puteh untuk mencari rezeki atau membuat penyelidikan.

Noor Farida yang juga bekas Duta Malaysia ke Belanda berkata, kapal Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) dan Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM) serta agensi penguat kuasa maritim lain juga boleh meronda di perairan berkenaan yang dipercayai kaya dengan khazanah laut.

Sementara itu, Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, berkata kerajaan belum bercadang menghantar agensi penguat kuasa mengawasi perairan Batuan Tengah walaupun ia sudah sah milik negara kerana tidak mahu disifatkan cuba bertindak agresif di kawasan berkenaan.

Kementerian itu berpendapat adalah lebih baik untuk kerajaan kedua-dua negara menunggu keputusan jawatankuasa teknikal bagi menyelesaikan perkara berbangkit seperti sempadan maritim Malaysia dan Singapura di perairan itu.

"Tidak elok untuk kita menimbulkan sebarang tindakan yang boleh disifatkan agresif dengan menghantar kapal agensi penguat kuasa meronda walaupun jelas Batuan Tengah milik kita kerana Malaysia serta Singapura perlu bekerjasama," katanya di Kota Tinggi, semalam.

Syed Hamid berkata, rakyat tempatan terutama nelayan dinasihatkan menunggu garis panduan jawatankuasa teknikal mengenai isu itu sebelum pergi ke sana walaupun ICJ sudah memutuskan Malaysia berhak ke atas Batuan Tengah.

"Jawatankuasa berkenaan perlu berbincang dan menterjemahkan keputusan ICJ itu dengan mendalam bagi mengelak sebarang perselisihan faham dan tiada keputusan unilateral boleh diambil kedua-dua negara tanpa perbincangan.

"Adalah lebih baik jawatankuasa berkenaan memulakan perbincangan untuk memastikan keselamatan maritim di kawasan Batuan Tengah dan Batu Puteh dengan mengambil kira konsep 'Eye in the Sky', yang digunakan bagi mengawasi Selat Melaka," katanya.

Beliau berkata, walaupun Batuan Tengah dan Batu Puteh berkait rapat dengan keselamatan dua negara di perairan berkenaan, faktor jarak yang terlalu hampir antara kedua-duanya menyebabkan kerajaan Malaysia dan Singapura tidak boleh bertindak sendirian.

Selain itu, kedua-dua negara juga perlu menyelesaikan segera isu berhubung kedudukan Tubir Selatan kerana terumbu itu akan tenggelam apabila air pasang dan hanya kelihatan ketika air surut.

"Singapura mahu ketiga-tiga kawasan itu tetapi ICJ menolaknya. Kesannya, Singapura kini tidak lagi sendirian di perairan itu selepas hampir tiga dekad tidak membenarkan Malaysia menghampirinya kerana kita juga sudah diberikan hak berkenaan," katanya.

Sementara itu, polis marin meminta nelayan Malaysia supaya tidak mengunjungi perairan Batuan Tengah sehingga keputusan rasmi mengenainya diumumkan kerajaan, bagi mengelakkan salah faham dengan pihak berkuasa Singapura - Berita Harian

Pulau Batu Puteh decision: Fishermen can access Middle Rocks

By V. Anbalagan from the The Hague

MALAYSIAN fishermen can now operate freely in the waters off Middle Rocks following the International Court of Justice's ruling, which awarded the uninhabited outcropping to Malaysia, an academician said.


Pulau Batu Puteh is a granite island 137m long, with an average width of 60m and covering 8,560 sq metres at low tide. It is situated at the eastern entrance of the Straits of Singapore. It lies 25.5 nautical miles to the east of Singapore, 7.7 nautical miles to the south of Johor and 7.6 nautical miles to the north of the Indonesian island of Bintan. The Horsburgh lighthouse in Pulau Batu Puteh was built in 1851. Middle Rocks and South Ledge are the two maritime features closest to Pulau Batu Puteh. Middle Rocks is located 0.6 nautical miles to the south and consists of two small rocks about 250 metres apart that are above water and stand 0.6m to 1.2m high. South Ledge, at 2.2 nautical miles to the southwest of Pulau Batu Puteh, is a rock formation only visible at low tide.

Professor Dr Nik Anuar Nik Mahmud, senior lecturer with The Malay World and Civilisation Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said the navy and marine police could patrol the area without hindrance.

He said the air force would also have access to the airspace.

"We have been denied entry to that locality since 1986 after Singapore took control of Pulau Batu Puteh (PBP) and the two maritime features. The republic has lost that exclusivity now," he told Malaysian journalists.

Nik Anuar was one of the researchers who assisted the Malaysian legal team to prepare its case before the ICJ.
The dispute over PBP started in 1980 when Malaysia published a map with the island lying within its territory.

In 1993, Singapore extended its claim to PBP by including two clusters of rocks nearby, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, after both nations failed to resolve the issue through bilateral means.

On Friday, the ICJ, in a 12-4 majority ruling, held that sovereignty over the island belonged to Singapore.

In a 15-1 majority ruling, the court held that Malaysia had ownership of Middle Rocks.

The court, in a 15-1 majority ruling, also stated that sovereignty over South Ledge belonged to the "state in the territorial waters of which it is located".

South Ledge is a rock formation only visible at low tide.

The court said it could not decide on the status of South Ledge because Malaysia and Singapore had only asked it to arbitrate on the matter of sovereignty separately for each of the three maritime features.

"The court observes that it has not been mandated by the parties to draw the line of delimitation with respect to the territorial waters of Malaysia and Singapore in the area in question," it said.

Nik Anuar said a careful reading of the judgment would imply that sovereignty over South Ledge also belonged to Malaysia. This was because South Ledge is only 1.7 nautical miles south of Middle Rocks.

"It is within the internationally held 12 nautical miles radius limitation to be part of Malaysian territorial waters."

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said it would appear that Malaysia would have sovereignty over South Ledge.

Co-agent and former Malaysian ambassador to the Netherlands Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin said the ruling had contained Singapore from undertaking any activities unilaterally.

"She has a neighbour now because the court has recognised that Malaysia has sovereignty over Middle Rocks."

She expressed hope both nations could resolve the outstanding issues.

During the oral hearing last November, Malaysia's agent, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, said Singapore wanted to redefine her status from being a mere "lighthouse operator" by claiming sovereignty over PBP and the two maritime features.

The ruling by the ICJ affirmed Malaysia's stand that the Johor sultanate had the undisputed title over PBP and the surrounding areas from time immemorial - NST

After The Hague, it's time to move on

By Abdul Ghafur Hamid

IT was a suspenseful time for both Malaysian and Singaporean delegations to the Hague when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered its judgment on Friday. The judgment was not a winner-take-all but a split one, adjudging Pulau Batu Puteh (PBP) to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia, and South Ledge to the state in the territorial waters of which it is located.

PBP is a small granite rocky island, 137m by 60m (roughly half the size of a football field), which is located 7.7 nautical miles to the south of Johor and approximately 24 nautical miles to the east of Singapore.

The island is called Pulau Batu Puteh (White Rock Island) by Malaysia and Pedra Branca by Singapore.

The dispute arose on Feb 14, 1980, when Singapore protested against the 1979 map published by Malaysia showing PBP as part of Malaysian territory. Singapore claimed the Middle Rocks and South Ledge, two marine features near the island, in February 1993.

After exhausting a few years of bilateral consultations, the two countries submitted their dispute to the ICJ on July 24, 2003.
According to the Malaysian argument, PBP, the two marine features, and other islands in and around Singapore Strait were part of the Johor Sultanate before 1824.

This situation was confirmed by the Crawfurd Treaty of 1824, which ceded to Great Britain the Island of Singapore and all islets and rocks within 10 geographical miles off Singapore, but otherwise left the territory of Johor unaffected.

Therefore, Malaysia primarily invoked the original title over the island and two marine features by the Sultan of Johor from time immemorial. The main Malaysian stand before the ICJ was that PBP was not a no man's land (terra nullius) when the British East India Company constructed the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the island and sought and obtained the permission of the sultan and Temenggong of Johor to build the lighthouse on the island. Malaysia argued that Singapore's presence on the island was merely as lighthouse administrator. Neither Great Britain nor Singapore ever exercised sovereignty over the three features.

The main Singaporean contention was that the island and two marine features were terra nullius when the British constructed the lighthouse. They argued that the construction of the lighthouse and the authorisation of the British Crown constituted a classic taking of possession of a territory as a sovereign.

Title was acquired by the British in accordance with the legal principles governing the acquisition of territory in 1851. The title acquired in 1851 has been maintained by the British and its lawful successor, Singapore, for about 150 years and during such a long period Malaysia did not make any protests apart from the first assertion of sovereignty in 1979.

Singapore, therefore, primarily relied on the taking of possession of a territory not owned by any state and the continuous, peaceful and effective exercise of state authority over it.

From the perspective of international law, this case is a competition between a claim based on original title (Malaysia) and one invoking title by means of taking possession of a terra nullius and "peaceful and continuous exercise of state authority" (Singapore).

Malaysia maintains a track record of peacefully settling differences with neighbouring countries. It is a consistent practice of Malaysia to resort to international dispute resolution only when diplomatic means such as negotiation and consultation are exhausted.

A tremendous effort was made in the preparations for the Pulau Batu Puteh case. The Malaysian legal team was led by Malaysia's Agent Tan Seri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, and Co-Agent Datuk Noor Faridah Ariffin.

Counsel and advocates for Malaysia included the (then) foreign minister of Malaysia, the attorney-general of Malaysia, and eminent international law experts such as professors James Crawford and Sir Elihu Lauterpacht QC from Cambridge University and Professor Nicolaas Jan Schrijver from Leiden University.

Head, deputy head and a strong team of federal counsel from the International Affairs Division of the A-G's Chambers were also part of the team.

The Malaysian legal team established a case that was the result of a thorough research for nearly 30 years, conducted by experts from various ministries and government departments, including academia.

The preparations for the case were the co-ordinated efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the A-G's Chambers, the National Archives of Malaysia, the Department of Survey and Mapping and the Johor government, to mention only a few.

Based on this research, the legal team prepared one of the most compelling arguments to the ICJ, consisting of Written Memorials of 172 pages, Counter Memorials of 306 pages, and Reply of 213 pages, a number of documents and maps, together with oral submissions by counsel.

Now the much awaited judgment has come out. As far as PBP itself is concerned, the ICJ first of all accepted the Malaysian contention and concluded that the Sultanate of Johor had sovereignty over the island by means of original title from time immemorial.

The ICJ, however, found that the following acts and omissions of the parties since 1953 had decisively changed the legal position:

(1) the reply by the acting state secretary of Johor to the Singaporean government that the "Johor Government does not claim ownership of Pedra Branca"; [Refer HERE]

(2) the investigation of shipwrecks by Singapore within the island's territorial waters;

(3) the permission granted or not granted by Singapore to Malaysian officials to survey the waters surrounding the islands; and,

(4) the absence of protest from Malaysia to the flying of the Singapore ensign on the island, the installation of military communications equipment on the island in 1977 and the proposed plans by Singapore to extend the island as well as a few specific publications and maps.

The ICJ concluded that sovereignty over PBP had passed to Singapore due to peaceful and continuous display of sovereign acts on the part of Singapore since 1953 and acquiescence on the part of Malaysia.

Middle Rocks and South Ledge are maritime features located at 0.6 and 2.2 nautical miles respectively from PBP. Middle Rocks consist of some rocks that are permanently above water whereas South Ledge is a low-tide elevation.

In the absence of proof to the effect that the ancient and original title of the Sultan of Johor over Middle Rocks had passed to Singapore like in the case of PBP, the ICJ adjudged that sovereignty over Middle Rocks remained with Malaysia.

Since South Ledge is a low tide elevation and not an island, a specific legal principle applies. A low tide elevation is owned by the state in the territorial waters of which it is located.

South Ledge now falls within the overlapping territorial waters of the main land Malaysia, PBP and Middle Rocks.

The ICJ was not asked by the parties to delimit their territorial waters and as there are overlapping territorial waters in the area, the ICJ left open the question of sovereignty over South Ledge, which is to be determined by the parties themselves in future by delimiting their overlapping territorial waters.

The judgment of the ICJ is based on facts and evidence and in accordance with its consistent jurisprudence.

In any legal case, a party can only prepare the best case for it. Once the judgment has come out, it is the obligation of each party to abide by it no matter what the judgment is if supremacy of law is to be observed.

Since Malaysia owns Middle Rocks, which is only 0.6 nautical miles from PBP, Singapore cannot make any unilateral decision or work to reclaim land around the island.

It is also an urgent need for the two countries to negotiate the delimitation of territorial waters in the area. Now is the time for the two countries to fully co-operate in a spirit of the utmost friendliness.

In any case, let us give credit to those who deserve it - the Malaysian legal team and those who assisted in one way or another in preparing the Malaysian case - for their hard work and a wonderful job done.

Dr Abdul Ghafur Hamid @ Khin Maung Sein is professor of international law at the International Islamic University Malaysia. He may be contacted at ghafur@iiu.edu.my.

Utusan Malaysia 24 May 2008

Tragedi buat sebuah negara yang ber'daulat:

Jangan biarkan kesilapan BODOH ini berulang kembali - Katakan TIDAK kepada WPI, Say NO TO WPI.

Singapura tidak boleh bertindak unilateral

JOHOR BAHRU 23 Mei - Keputusan Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) menyerahkan kedaulatan Pulau Batu Putih kepada Singapura dan pada masa yang sama, memberikan Malaysia hak ke atas Middle Rocks membuktikan bahawa republik itu tidak boleh bertindak secara unilateral di kawasan terbabit.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, keputusan ICJ yang menyebelahi Malaysia berhubung Middle Rocks adalah sesuatu yang amat penting kerana terumbu karang itu memperjelaskan kawasan maritim di antara kedua-dua negara.

''Walaupun Singapura memenangi Pulau Batu Putih, tetapi ini tidak bererti ia boleh mengambil tindakan unilateral seperti melakukan penambakan dan sebagainya,'' katanya kepada pemberita setibanya di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Senai di sini petang ini, sebelum menghadiri Majlis Mesra Rakyat dan Mesyuarat Agung Mubarak Negeri Johor Kelima di Persada di sini.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, walaupun Malaysia tidak mencapai semua tuntutannya, ia telah berjaya memenangi sebahagian daripada tuntutan berkenaan.

Disebabkan itu, tambahnya, Malaysia dan Singapura telah menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Teknikal untuk bersama-sama mentafsir dan mengkaji kesan keseluruhan keputusan ICJ berkenaan.

"Jawatankuasa itu akan mengkaji kesan keseluruhan keputusan tersebut. Saya tidak boleh buat komen spontan sekarang ini kerana banyak perkara yang perlu diperhalusi sebelum sesuatu keputusan dibuat," katanya.

Mengenai perasaan rakyat ekoran keputusan itu, Najib mengakui ada yang kecewa kerana Malaysia gagal mencapai kejayaan yang diharapkan.

"Namun kita kena terima,'' katanyanya.

Bagaimanapun katanya, ada juga pihak melihat keputusan itu sebagai situasi menang-menang kerana di peringkat rakyat, ia tidak banyak berubah setelah Middle Rocks dan South Ledge jelas milik Malaysia.

"Ini kerana selama ini pun Pulau Batu Putih dikendalikan oleh Singapura dan kini jelas kita dapat Middle Rocks," katanya.

Beliau yakin keputusan ICJ itu tidak akan menjejaskan hubungan dua hala Malaysia-Singapura.

Sementara itu ketika berucap pada majilis tersebut, Najib menyeru wakil rakyat UMNO dan Barisan Nasional (BN) berani melakukan perubahan terhadap cara dan pendekatan mereka mendekati semua lapisan masyarakat, terutamanya generasi muda.

Beliau berkata, perubahan itu perlu supaya pendekatan mereka boleh diterima dan menarik generasi terdahulu, pertengahan dan muda agar menyokong BN - Utusan Malaysia

ICJ Decision Shows Singapore Cannot Act Unilaterally

JOHOR BAHARU, May 23 (Bernama) -- The decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to give Malaysia sovereignty over Middle Rocks proves that Singapore cannot act unilaterally, including in activities involving land reclamation, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"Basically, the ICJ's decision in giving Singapore sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh and Malaysia, sovereignty over Middle Rocks, is a balanced decision.

"Today's decision shows that we are partly successful in our territorial claims but failed in the other. Some people are viewing this as a win-win situation," he said when met by reporters at the Senai Airport here upon his arrival from Kuala Lumpur.

Najib said the ICJ's decision which favoured Malaysia in its claim over Middle Rocks was also important as the coral reefs defined the maritime area of the two countries. The ICJ's split decision delivered in The Hague on Friday brought to a close a 28-year-old territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore over Pulau Batu Puteh, which Singapore called Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge.

Najib said the decision had more impact on Malaysia as the ICJ had defined the status of Middle Rocks and Malaysia's sovereignty over the islands which previously were vague.

Pulau Batu Puteh, on the other hand, had for a long time been administered by Singapore, he said.

However, he added, the government understood how important, symbolically, was Pulau Batu Puteh to Malaysians, especially Johoreans, but the ICJ decision must be accepted in good faith by all.

"We are not entirely disappointed with the decision. When a country brings a dispute to an international court to be resolved, one party will succeed in its claim while the other will not.

"However, we had earlier stated that we would accept whatever decision made by the ICJ because Malaysia accepts international laws."

The deputy prime minister said the Technical Committees of both countries would study indepth the ICJ decision before making any move.

"Due to the legal implications, the government will take a few weeks to study the ICJ judgment," he said.

Also present at the news conference was Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman - Bernama

Singapura tak boleh tambak sesuka hati

Oleh Mohd Zin Ali, Johan Afandi, Srihanasham Noordin dan Nor Ain Bujang

JOHOR BAHRU: Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, berkata walaupun negara kehilangan Pulau Batu Puteh, keputusan Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) menyerahkan Batuan Tengah kepada Malaysia adalah keadaan menang-menang dan seimbang kepada kedua-dua negara.

Katanya, berikutan keputusan itu, Singapura tidak boleh melakukan penambakan di kawasan berkenaan sewenang-wenangnya.

"Saya bercakap dengan Menteri Luar (Datuk Seri Rais Yatim) selepas keputusan berkenaan. Jawatankuasa teknikal Malaysia akan melihat dan meneliti secara mendalam serta terperinci keputusan ICJ, tetapi secara dasarnya ia bermakna Singapura tidak boleh membuat keputusan unilateral sesuka hati, termasuk penambakan di kawasan itu," katanya sejurus tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Senai, di sini malam tadi.

Najib berkata, walaupun barisan peguam negara di ICJ tidak berjaya sepenuhnya, Malaysia tetap dapat mempertahankan sebahagian daripada tuntutan berkenaan dan akan menghormati serta menerima keputusan itu seperti dipersetujui sebelum ini.

Katanya, kerajaan hanya akan membuat penentuan berkaitan sempadan maritim dan geografi di kawasan itu, sebaik menerima syor jawatankuasa teknikal berkenaan yang dijangka diperoleh dalam tempoh beberapa minggu.

Ditanya mengenai perasaan rakyat terutama di Johor, Najib berkata, beliau percaya ada yang akan kecewa kerana mengharapkan negara memenangi tuntutan itu tetapi mereka perlu menerimanya kerana ia sudah ditentukan mahkamah.

"Saya memahami perasaan rakyat Johor dengan kehilangan Pulau Batu Puteh tetapi selama ini, ia ditadbir Singapura dan sebab itu saya tegaskan, kita gembira mendapat hak ke atas Batuan Tengah kerana ia juga amat penting kepada kita.

"Misalnya, kedudukan Batuan Tengah sebelum ini amat samar-samar tetapi dengan keputusan berkenaan, ia jelas milik Malaysia dan ia diputuskan ICJ," katanya.

Menjawab soalan mengenai hubungan dua hala antara Malaysia dan Singapura selepas keputusan berkenaan, Najib berkata, beliau yakin ia tidak terjejas sama seperti ketika negara memenangi kes tuntutan Pulau Sipadan dan Ligitan dengan Indonesia - Berita Harian

Batu Putih hak Singapura - ICJ juga putuskan Middle Rocks kepunyaan Malaysia

Daripada Noraini Abd. Razak

THE HAGUE, Belanda 23 Mei – Pertikaian mengenai status Pulau Batu Putih yang berlarutan selama 28 tahun akhirnya diputuskan hari ini oleh Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) di sini dengan menyerahkan kedaulatan pulau tersebut kepada Singapura.

Dalam penghakiman kira-kira sejam 45 minit itu, ICJ turut memutuskan bahawa Middle Rocks yang terletak kira-kira 0.5 batu nautika di selatan Pulau Batu Putih menjadi milik Malaysia manakala status satu lagi bentuk maritim iaitu South Ledge akan menjadi milik negara di perairan mana pulau itu terletak.

Pemangku Presiden ICJ, Hakim Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh ketika membaca keputusan kes tuntutan bertindih itu berkata, status mengenai kedaulatan ke atas Pulau Batu Putih diputuskan oleh majoriti 12-4 hakim, manakala majoriti 15-1 hakim pula bersetuju berhubung kedudukan Middle Rocks dan South Ledge.


MILIK SINGAPURA... Pemandangan dari udara, Pulau Batu Putih yang kedaulatannya diserahkan oleh ICJ kepada Singapura semalam. Pulau itu yang dikenali di Singapura sebagai Pedra Branca terletak 7.7 batu nautika dari Johor dan 25 batu nautika dari Singapura. – Reuters

Penyerahan kedaulatan Pulau Batu Putih yang dari sudut sejarahnya adalah milik Kesultanan Johor diputuskan oleh ICJ berdasarkan kepada surat balasan pemangku Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Johor pada tahun 1953 yang menyebut Johor tidak menuntut hak milik ke atas Pedra Branca, iaitu nama dalam bahasa Portugis bagi Pulau Batu Putih.

“Jawapan balas itu adalah berkaitan dengan pulau tersebut secara keseluruhannya dan bukan semata-mata rumah api.

“Apabila surat itu dibaca dalam konteks permintaan oleh Singapura mengenai maklumat status Pulau Batu Putih, adalah menjadi bukti bahawa surat berkenaan menyentuh isu kedaulatan pulau tersebut.

“Oleh itu mahkamah menyimpulkan bahawa surat jawapan itu jelas menunjukkan bahawa mulai tahun 1953, Johor maklum ia tidak lagi mempunyai kedaulatan ke atas Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Putih,” kata Shawkat yang mempengerusikan persidangan ICJ bagi memutuskan tuntutan bertindih ke atas Pulau Batu Putih, Middle Rocks dan South Ledge.

Beliau bersidang bersama 15 orang hakim lain.

Tuntutan ke atas Pulau Batu Putih bermula pada 14 Februari 1980 apabila Singapura mengemukakan nota bantahan kepada Malaysia menuntut pulau itu sebagai sebahagian daripada wilayah berdaulatnya.

Tuntutan Singapura ke atas Middle Rocks dan South Ledge pula hanya timbul pada 6 Februari 1993 ketika berlangsungnya perbincangan dua hala di antara kedua-dua negara berhubung pertikaian Pulau Batu Putih.

Keputusan mahkamah itu adalah muktamad dan tiada mekanisme rayuan bagi keputusan ICJ yang merupakan badan perundangan tertinggi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu.

Malaysia dan Singapura melalui satu perjanjian yang dimeterai di Putrajaya pada 6 Februari 2003 bersetuju untuk merujuk pertikaian sempadan berhubung Pulau Batu Putih kepada ICJ.

Perjanjian yang ditandatangani pada 9 Februari 2003 dan berkuat kuasa pada 9 Mei tahun sama itu antara lain berbunyi, “Melalui Perjanjian Khas, kedua-dua pihak memohon kepada ICJ untuk menentukan kedaulatan Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Putih, Middle Rocks dan South Ledge milik Malaysia atau Singapura. Kedua-dua negara akan menerima keputusan mahkamah sebagai muktamad dan mengikat kedua-dua pihak.”

Selepas menghantar memorial (hujah bertulis), kedua-dua negara memulakan hujah lisan pada 6 hingga 23 November lalu.

Memetik penghakiman kes tersebut secara lebih terperinci, Shawkat berkata, fakta kes menunjukkan bahawa sebaik sahaja menerima surat balasan dari Johor, Setiausaha Koloni Singapura telah menghantar satu memorandum dalaman kepada Peguam Negara yang menyebut bahawa beliau berpendapat “berdasarkan kekuatan surat jawapan itu, kita boleh menuntut Pedra Branca.”

Selain surat dari Johor pada 1953, mahkamah turut berpandukan kepada fakta kes berhubung tindak tanduk United Kingdom dan Singapura di Pulau Batu Putih yang menurut ICJ tidak terbatas kepada penyelenggara rumah api semata-mata.

Shawkat berkata, mahkamah berpendapat bahawa tindakan-tindakan Singapura termasuk menyiasat kemalangan marin di perairan pulau tersebut, kawalan mereka terhadap siri lawatan, pemasangan peralatan komunikasi kapal dan pelan penambakan lautnya jelas menunjukkan wujud a titre de souverain (tindak tanduk yang menunjukkan ia mempunyai kedaulatan) terutama selepas tahun 1953.

Malaysia, katanya, tidak menunjukkan tindak balas dalam bentuk apa sekali pun terhadap kegiatan-kegiatan Singapura malah pihak berkuasa Johor gagal melakukan sebarang tindakan ke atas Pulau Batu Putih bermula dari Jun 1850.

Lebih daripada itu, jelas beliau, keputusan mahkamah memihak kepada Singapura didorong oleh fakta republik itu bertindak mengeluarkan kebenaran kepada pegawai-pegawai dari Malaysia yang datang ke pulau berkenaan pada tahun 1978 bagi menjalankan kajian perairan di sekeliling Pulau Batu Putih.

Tuntutan

“Tindak tanduk itu dilihat menunjukkan wujudnya kedaulatan dan memberi sokongan yang amat penting kepada tuntutan Singapura terhadap kedaulatan Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Putih,” kata Shawkat.

Shawkat yang mengetuai kumpulan 16 hakim termasuk dua hakim ad hoc yang masing-masing dilantik oleh Malaysia dan Singapura turut menarik perhatian mahkamah mengenai kegagalan Malaysia membantah pengibaran panji-panji British dan Singapura di Rumah Api Horsburgh di pulau itu yang turut memberi kesan kepada kes tuntutan bertindih itu.

Selain itu, enam peta yang dikeluarkan oleh Malaysia antara tahun 1962 dan 1975 yang dipertikaikan oleh Singapura kerana tertera perkataan ‘Lighthouse, P. Batu Puteh, (Horsburgh) (SINGAPORE) atau (SINGAPURA)' di Pulau Batu Putih turut menjadi rujukan ICJ yang disifatkan oleh barisan hakim sebagai mengesahkan bahawa Malaysia menganggap pulau itu adalah di bawah kedaulatan republik berkenaan.

“Mahkamah membuat kesimpulan berdasarkan titre de souverain Singapura, selain tindak-tanduk Malaysia termasuk kegagalannya untuk bertindak balas terhadap tindakan-tindakan republik itu, bahawa pada 1980 kedaulatan Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Putih telah diserahkan kepada Singapura,” katanya.

Mengenai Middle Rocks, Shawkat berkata, bentuk maritim itu mempunyai status undang-undang yang sama dengan Pulau Batu Putih dari sudut sejarahnya iaitu kedaulatannya adalah di bawah kesultanan Johor.

Katanya, mengambil kira fakta tersebut, penyerahan Pulau Batu Putih kepada Singapura yang didorong oleh surat pada 1953 dan kegagalan Malaysia bertindak balas terhadap tindak tanduk republik itu tidak memberi kesan kepada Middle Rocks.

Oleh itu, jelas Shawkat, hak milik asal Middle Rocks kekal kepada Malaysia yang mewarisi kesultanan Johor, kecuali terbukti sebaliknya di mana mahkamah mendapati Singapura tidak mengemukakan sebarang bukti yang bertentangan.

Dalam keputusan mengenai hak milik South Ledge pula, kata Shawkat, mahkamah berpendapat bentuk maritim itu berada di perairan bertindih antara Pulau Batu Putih yang kini menjadi milik Singapura dan Middle Rocks yang kekal bersama Malaysia.

“Mahkamah hanya diminta untuk memutuskan kedaulatan ketiga-tiga bentuk maritim itu secara berasingan dan pada masa yang sama mahkamah tidak diberi kuasa untuk menetapkan garis persempadanan wilayah perairan Malaysia dan Singapura.

“Dalam hal ini, mahkamah merumuskan kedaulatan South Ledge adalah milik negara yang perairannya terletak bentuk maritim itu,” kata beliau.

Delegasi Malaysia ke ICJ hari ini diketuai oleh Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim; Ejen Malaysia dan Duta Tugas-Tugas Khas, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad; Ejen Bersama, Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin; Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail; Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Luar, Tan Sri Rastam Mohd. Isa; dan Timbalan Setiausaha (Pembangunan) Kerajaan Negeri Johor.

Barisan peguam antarabangsa yang mewakili Malaysia pula terdiri daripada Sir Elihu Lauterpacht, James Crawford, Nicolaas Jan Schrijver, Marcelo G. Kohen, dan Penelope Nevill. Lauterpacht bagaimanapun tidak hadir hari ini.

Singapura pula diwakili antara lain oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri, S. Jayakumar; Ketua Hakim, Chan Sek Keong; Duta Kembara, Tommy Koh; dan Duta Anil Kumar Nayar – Utusan Malaysia

Singapore Urged To Consider Fishermen At Pulau Batu Puteh

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 - The Singapore Government has been urged to consider that Johoreans, especially fishermen, have been using Pulau Batu Puteh for generations for transportation and fishing.

International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Malaysian Government hoped Singapore would take note of this and not jeopardise the livelihood of the fishermen.

"We hope that Singapore would understand that this matter is very close to our heart, the Johoreans," he told reporters after giving a talk on Umno's code of ethics to the Federal Territory Umno liaison committee here Saturday.

Muhyiddin was responding to a question on the decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Friday which ruled that the disputed Pulau Batu Puteh belongs to Singapore, while Malaysia owns Middle Rock.

The ICJ ruled that South Ledge belonged to the country in whose territorial waters the outcrop was located in.

Asked whether he agreed that the decision could be considered as a win-win situation for both countries, Muhyiddin said, "For me, what is lost...is lost, we cannot say that we win...we have lost our territory."

However, Muhyiddin said Malaysians had to abide by the ICJ's decision as it was not appealable.

He was also asked who should be blamed for the loss of Pulau Batu Puteh.

"I don't think we need to blame anybody on that, this is a collective responsibility.

"The matter has been decided by the Malaysian Government that the best option to settle the matter is to refer it to the ICJ," he added - Bernama

PM minta rakyat terima keputusan ICJ

Daripada Fauziah Arof

TOKYO 23 Mei – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi meminta semua rakyat Malaysia terutama penduduk Johor menerima keputusan Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) yang memutuskan Pulau Batu Putih milik Singapura.

Perdana Menteri berkata, walaupun beliau "sedih" dengan keputusan tersebut tetapi menerimanya kerana ia dibuat melalui persefahaman bersama Malaysia-Singapura selepas kedua-dua negara bersetuju membawa pertikaian itu ke ICJ pada 1993.

Bagaimanapun, beliau melihat situasi menang-menang dalam keputusan tersebut kerana Malaysia diberi kedaulatan ke atas Middle Rocks sementara South Ledge pula tertakluk kepada wilayah perairan di mana ia terletak.

“Menang pun tak menang semua, kalah pun tak kalah semua. Itulah keadilannya. Saya tahu rakyat Malaysia terutama penduduk Johor akan ada yang emosional mengenai keputusan ini.

“Kita perlu ingat bahawa keputusan ini dibuat secara aman dan adil. Keadilan itu mestilah diakui,’’ katanya pada sidang akhbar di sini hari ini.

Mengulas keputusan ICJ mengenai kedaulatan Pulau Batu Putih hari ini, Perdana Menteri yang sedang melawat Jepun menegaskan, satu langkah segera akan diambil untuk memastikan kedudukan sempadan South Ledge yang belum ditetapkan pemiliknya.

“Kita akan mengambil tindakan-tindakan seterusnya untuk menentukan garis-garis sempadan di kawasan perairan berkenaan,” katanya.

Beliau yakin South Ledge adalah milik Malaysia.

Dalam pada itu, Abdullah memberitahu, beliau akan menghadap Sultan Johor, Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail untuk memaklumkan mengenai keputusan tersebut.

“Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim juga akan menghadap sultan dan akan memberi penerangan kepada rakyat selepas ini,” katanya.

Ditanya sama ada beliau akan mengadakan pertemuan dengan pemimpin Singapura mengenai keputusan itu, Perdana Menteri berkata, tindakan tersebut tidak perlu dilakukan.

“Rais akan berjumpa rakan sejawatannya di Singapura untuk menentukan tindakan-tindakan yang akan diambil dalam perkara ini,” katanya.

Menjawab satu soalan yang mengaitkan keputusan tersebut dengan kepimpinan beliau, Abdullah berkata, beliau pasti selepas ini ada pihak akan mempertikaikan kewibawaannya.

“Ini perkara biasa. Dengan keputusan mahkamah itu, nanti ada macam-macamlah. Orang yang tidak suka kita akan marah kita.

“Tetapi saya ingin jelaskan bahawa pasukan yang membawa kes ini ke ICJ adalah pasukan yang sama semasa kita menang dalam kes Pulau Sipadan dan Ligitan dulu,” ujarnya.

Sehubungan itu, beliau merakamkan penghargaan kepada semua pakar dan pegawai Malaysia yang terlibat membuat persediaan membawa kes itu ke ICJ - Utusan Malaysia

Malaysia Needs To Prepare To Implement ICJ Decisions

From Mikhail Raj Abdullah

TOKYO, May 24 - Malaysia must make preparations to ensure that the decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge are implemented immediately, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia must also determine quickly the boundary line for South Ledge in the Malaysian waters.

"By doing so, it will determine that South Ledge is truly located in our waters, and thus considered to belong to Malaysia," he said at a press conference here Friday after attending the 14th Nikkei International Conference on Asia's Future.

When asked whether Malaysia was confident of owning South Ledge, the prime minister said: "What I have been told is that South Ledge is not too far from Middle Rocks. Only 1.7 kilometres away. It's located within our territorial waters."

He said this when commenting on the decision of the ICJ in The Hague which stipulated that Singapore had sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh while Malaysia was awarded sovereignty over Middle Rocks. Sovereignty over South Ledge will depend on whose territorial waters it is located in.

Abdullah, who was saddened by the ICJ decision awarding sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore, also expressed his appreciation as well as that of the government and all Malaysians to all Malaysian officers and experts who had worked hard to prepare the case for hearing which had taken a long time.

"I know that they have worked very hard," he said.

Abdullah also advised Malaysians to avoid any action that could create conflicts or a situation that would pose difficulties to both countries.

The prime minister said Malaysia appreciated that the ICJ decision was based on facts and was made in a peaceful manner. "We did not win all, nor did we lose all," he said.

He said: "Although we are sad because we did not succeed, we must realise that the decision was made by an international court. We must accept the court's fairness."

"We must be thankful that Middle Rocks belongs to us. What needs to be determined is South Ledge," he said.

He hoped that officers from both countries as well as mapping officers could determine the boundary based on existing law.

At the ministerial level, Abdullah said there was no necessity for him to meet the Singapore leader on the case, "But Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim will meet his counterpart in Singapore to determine the action to be taken by both parties."

The prime minister said he would seek an audience with the Sultan of Johor with regard to the decision, as well as Rais who would explain to the Sultan in more detail.

On the outstanding unresolved bilateral issues, he said both sides must continue to discuss them to arrive at a solution - Bernama

Pulau Batu Puteh Issue, Malaysia Praised For Solving It Amicably

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 - Malaysia has been praised for solving the 28-year-old Pulau Batu Puteh issue peacefully and amicably through the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which today awarded sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore and the Middle Rocks to Malaysia.

Head of the Department of Political Science, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Assistant Professor Dr Wahabuddin Ra'ees said the decision would help both Malaysia and Singapore to move ahead in solving other outstanding issues between them.

Despite being a country very much larger than Singapore, Malaysia had been sincere from the beginning to solve the issue peacefuly and amicably, he told Bernama in an interview here Friday.

He said that in the larger context of the Asean spirit, Malaysia had once again proved to the world that it always pursued a `very friendly and good neighbourly policy based on mutual respect towards its neighbours and other countries'.

"Eventhough Malaysia deserves a better decision given the historical and geographical facts...I think the judgement should be viewed in a positive way... for future relations...other countries should follow the example of Malaysia and Singapore in solving problems through peaceful means," he said.

University of Malaya senior lecturer, Department of International and Strategic Studies K.S.Balakrishnan said Malaysia-Singapore relations was always a "managed relations" in any situation, although there might be minor problems and differences on and off.

He said the ICJ judgement showed that in this kind of situation, international law took into consideration the adiministration aspect and not history alone in deciding the sovereignty of a disputed area or islands.

"This is like the Sipadan and Ligitan Island issue," he said in reference to the two islands where the ICJ awarded their sovereignty to Malaysia.

The president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), Dr Chandra Muzaffar said that it was significant that both sides had agreed even before the case came to hearing to accept whatever the outcome of the case.

"So I hope both will accept the outcome of the ICJ as they said before and with an open heart," he said.

Dr Chandra said that Pulau Batu Puteh was at the heart of the dispute.

"And if one looks at some of the argument put by the ICJ (on Batu Puteh) on strictly legal perspective...those arguments make sense.

"On many instances, we seem to have ceded our sovereign rights by not exercising our sovereignty on Pulau Batu Puteh on numerous occasions," he said.

"I hope that the Singapore government will not regard the decision on Batu Puteh as an opening for them to ride rough shot over Malaysia's sovereign rights on other bilateral issues," said the political scientist - Bernama

Malaysia Loses Pulau Batu Puteh Not Due To Weak Arguments, Says Rais

From Nor Faridah A. Rashid

THE HAGUE, May 24 - Malaysia's failure to get sovereignty of Pulau Batu Puteh was not due to the weakness of its arguments presented before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said Friday.

"The fact that we have lost Pulau Batu Puteh is not due to the weakness of our arguments but to the lack of exercise by the authorities (on that island) for some 100 years," he told Malaysian journalists at the Malaysian embassy here.

He said that what was important to note was that the explanation given by the ICJ in its decision to award sovereignty was based on the fact that beginning from 1850 until 1953, Malaysia did not, in terms of evidence, effect any action or grounds which could be accepted as proof of sovereignty, be it in terms of occupation, conducting checks or supervision activities on Pulau Batu Puteh.

The Court had also emphasised that the map drawn up and produced by Malaysia in 1962, 1965, 1974 and 1975 had actually reflected on Singapore's claim, he said.

Rais said that another reason was the letter written by the Johor Acting State Secretary dated Sept 21, 1953 which the Court regarded as proof that there was a handover of power and sovereignty over the island.

The letter stated that "Johore Government (did) not claim ownership" of the island. Singapore had argued that the letter had expressed disclaimer of title of Pulau Batu Puteh.

The letter was in response to an enquiry dated June 12, 1953 made on behalf of the Singapore Colonial Secretary seeking to clarify the status of Pulau Batu Puteh, where a lighthouse had been built, with a view to determining the "boundaries of the Colony's territorial waters".

Rais said that while Pulau Batu Puteh was the significant material where the Horsburgh Lighthouse had been built and the administration done by Singapore, "We should also tell the public in Malaysia that we also won Middle Rocks which is so close."

"Of course in terms of area we have less than what it is compared to Pulau Batu Puteh but nonetheless, because of the adjacent position of these two units neither party can do any exercise of reclamation for anything without consultations," he said.

On the judgement he said: "We should not create commotion out of it because for the last two weeks we have laid the ground for a peaceful solution. The fact that we have won half and Singapore half, this is to us sufficient reward so far," he said.

As for South Ledge, the joint technical committee set up by both countries would hold a meeting not later than two weeks from Friday to lay down the principles and the steps ahead, Rais said.

He said the ICJ had ruled that sovereignty over South Ledge belongs to the state in the territorial waters of which it is located and as such this had to be determined.

"What's important now is the bilateral relations between Malaysia and Singapore. This decision should not in any way hinder us to go forward and reach out for those things that both of us have been wanting to," he said.

Meanwhile, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Prof S. Jayakumar said the court had awarded sovereignty of Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore, which is the most important feature.

He said that of course Singapore would be happier if the court decided that it has sovereignty over the island and the two marine features but what important was that both countries have agreed to solve the dispute in an amicable way.

Malaysia's Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said the Malaysian team had put in good effort including that relating to the 1953 letter.

But unfortunately, he said, the ICJ found the letter was significant to the case.

Malaysia had argued during the oral submission from Nov 6 to 23 last year that the Acting Johor State Secretary had no authority and capacity to issue the letter - Bernama

Tumpu Tubir Selatan: Rais

Daripada Khirul Bahri Basaruddin

THE HAGUE: Menteri Luar Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim yakin rakyat akan menerima keputusan Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) yang memberi hak kedaulatan Batuan Tengah kepada Malaysia dan Pulau Batu Puteh kepada Singapura.

Katanya, rakyat yang sudah diberitahu mengenai kesan daripada keputusan itu menerusi taklimat serta siaran media perlu menerima keputusan yang dianggap sebagai menang-menang untuk kedua-dua negara.

"Tidak timbul soal rakyat akan melakukan kekecohan kerana mahkamah itu jelas memberi kita kemenangan melalui hak kedaulatan Batuan Tengah," katanya kepada wartawan Malaysia di Kedutaan Malaysia di sini semalam.

Dr Rais berkata, pihaknya kini akan memberi tumpuan kepada meneliti dan mengkaji keputusan itu terutama membabitkan Tubir Selatan yang hak kedaulatan tidak memihak kepada Malaysia atau Singapura.

Katanya, Jawatankuasa Teknikal yang dibentuk kedua-dua negara untuk mengkaji keputusan itu akan bermesyuarat dua minggu lagi dan delegasi Malaysia akan diketuai Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Luar, Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa.

Dr Rais berkata, kedudukan Tubir Selatan hanya dapat ditentukan hasil rundingan jawatankuasa berkenaan.

Ejen Malaysia, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, pula berkata ketika ini belum ada sebarang kesan daripada keputusan mahkamah semalam.

“Kedudukan Pulau Batu Puteh dan Batuan Tengah agak dekat, sekali gus perlu ada proses rundingan jika satu daripada negara ingin melakukan sesuatu di kawasan masing-masing. Masa depan pulau itu dan kedua-dua bentuk maritim terbuka untuk rundingan," katanya.

Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, berkata pasukan perundangan Malaysia berjaya memberi persembahan mantap terutama ketika berhujah mengenai isu surat Penolong Setiausaha Kerajaan Johor yang tidak mengikat kes Malaysia.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, mahkamah memutuskan surat itu mempunyai kepentingan besar sekali gus menyokong tuntutan Singapura.

"Saya berpendapat kesan keputusan mahkamah itu akan lebih jelas apabila hanya sebuah negara mendapat hak kedaulatan ke atas pulau terbabit serta dua bentuk maritim itu, " katanya.

Sementara itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri Singapura, Prof S Jayakumar, berkata Singapura menyambut baik keputusan itu yang memberi hak kedaulatan Pulau Batu Puteh kepada negara itu.

"Pulau Batu Puteh antara bentuk muka bumi yang penting berbanding dua lagi dan kami lebih gembira jika mahkamah memutuskan ketiga-tiga bentuk bumi itu hak kami, " katanya.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, Singapura menerima keputusan mahkamah kerana apa yang lebih penting kedua-dua negara bersetuju menyelesaikan pertikaian itu secara berhemah.

Jayakumar berkata, kedua-dua negara juga berjanji menghormati sebarang keputusan mahkamah bagi memastikan hubungan dua hala tidak terjejas dan Singapura dan Malaysia berjaya menunjukkan kepada negara lain di rantau ini bagaimana pertikaian boleh diselesaikan secara aman dan berhemah - Berita Harian

Middle Rocks Now Happy Hunting Ground For Johor Fishermen

From Nor Faridah A. Rashid

THE HAGUE, May 24 - Johor fishermen can now fish to their hearts' content in the fish-rich waters of Middle Rocks, without fear of being shooed away by Singapore naval authorities as they have been since the mid-80's.

This follows the awarding of sovereignty over Middle Rocks to Malaysia by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a 15 to 1 vote in The Hague Friday.

Middle Rocks lies close to Pulau Batu Puteh, located 7.7 nautical miles off Johor's Tanjung Penyusuh, and sovereignty over which was awarded to Singapore by the ICJ in a 12 to four vote in the same judgement.

Prof Dr Nik Anuar Nik Mahmud of the Institute of Malay World and Civilisation, one of the researchers for Malaysia in the sovereignty dispute case, said the Johor fishermen can now go back to fishing in the waters of Middle Rocks.

They had been deprived of the rich fishing ground since 1986 when they were always shooed away from the area by the Singapore naval authories, he told Malaysian journalists here. Singapore had established a naval presence on the nearby Pulau Batu Puteh in the mid-80's.

During oral arguments from Nov 6 to 23 last year, the ICJ was told that fishermen from Johor used the waters off Pulau Batu Puteh for fishing and shelter until the mid-80's when Singapore established a permanent naval presence there and prevented them from fishing close to the island.

Noor Farida Ariffin, former Malaysian ambassador to the Netherlands and co-agent for the case, said the fishermen had the right to fish in the Middle Rocks area now that the court had declared that sovereignty over the marine feature belonged to Malaysia.

"Upon reflection, the ICJs decision was not bad at all," she said.

Prof Nik Anuar said the fact was that Malaysia now had sovereignty over Middle Rocks, which was a victory for the country and, as such, the fishermen would not face any problem like they did until now.

Malaysia could also build infrastructure on Middle Rocks or even station its navy personnel there if it wanted to, he said in outlining some of the activities which Malaysia could now do on Middle Rocks.

The ICJ decision giving sovereignty over Middle Rocks to Malaysia also means that Singapore is now more constrained in carrying out activities like reclamation due to the close proximity, about half a nautical mile, of Pulau Batu Puteh, or Pedra Branca as Singapore calls it, to Middle Rocks.

During the oral arguments, the ICJ was told of Singapores proposed reclamation plan to extend the island.

"Whatever plans they may have, like the reclamation plan, they cannot do it now," an official said.

In its judgment, the ICJ also ruled by 15 to 1 that sovereignty over another rock, South Ledge, belongs to the country in the territorial waters of which the feature is located.

This piece of the judgment was greeted positively by the Malaysian delegation led by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim as South Ledge, a low tide elevation located just 1.7 km from Middle Rocks, was well within Malaysian waters, said officials.

There is a mood of confidence in the Malaysian delegation that Malaysia may just get South Ledge.

Rais told Malaysian journalists that since South Ledge is within the territorial waters of Middle Rocks, Malaysia appeared to be the sovereign holder.

The ICJ, in its ruling, noted that South Ledge fell within the apparently overlapping territorial waters generated by Pulau Batu Puteh and by Middle Rocks.

It concluded that since it had not been mandated by the two sides to draw the line of delimitation with respect to their territorial waters in the area, sovereignty over South Ledge belonged to the country in the territorial waters of which the rock was located.

Another positive aspect in the judgment relating to the sovereignty of Pulau Batu Puteh was the fact that the court had accepted that the Johor Sultanate had the original title to the island although Singapore had said that the island was "terra nullius" (no mans land) when Britain took possession of it in the mid-1800s to build the Hosburgh Lighthouse.

However, the court ruled that by 1980 when the dispute regarding Pulau Batu Puteh crystallised, sovereignty over the island was passed to Singapore.

This conclusion was based on the fact that between 1850 and 1953 Malaysia did not, in terms of evidence, effect any action or grounds which can be accepted as proof of sovereignty, be it in terms of occupation, conducting checks or supervision activities on Pulau Batu Puteh.

Another factor which led to Malaysia losing sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore was the letter written by the Johor acting State Secretary dated Sept 21 1953 which the court regarded as proof that there was a handover of power and sovereignty over the island.

The letter stated that the "Johore Government (did) not claim ownership" of the island. Singapore had argued that the letter had expressed disclaimer of title of Pulau Batu Puteh.

The letter was in response to an enquiry dated June 12 1953 made on behalf of the Singapore Colonial Secretary seeking to clarify the status of Pulau Batu Puteh, where a lighthouse had been built, with a view to determining the "boundaries of the colony's territorial waters".

This goes to show that what civil servants do may have a repercussion and one should not take things for granted, although Malaysia had contended during the oral arguments that the Johor acting State Secretary did not have the authority or capacity to issue the letter - Bernama

Singapore Pleased With ICJ Decision On Pulau Batu Puteh

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, May 23 - Singapore is pleased with the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague Friday which awarded sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh, the key feature in its dispute with Malaysia, to the republic.

Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs however said the judgment was not totally in its favour as the ICJ had awarded Middle Rocks to Malaysia.

In a statement released in response to ICJ's decision, the ministry said the court also decided that South Ledge belonged to the country in whose territorial waters it was located.

"We had argued that these features are part of Pedra Branca (as Singapore calls Pulau Batu Puteh) but as the court had found otherwise, Singapore accepts the courts decision," the ministry said.

It said the judgment had brought to a closure a long standing territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore.

On media queries on the implications of the judgment on issues regarding Singapores entitlement to territorial sea or maritime zones around Pulau Batu Puteh, the ministry said the ICJ was not asked to determine such questions of maritime space or boundary delimitation.

It said Singapores rights and interests on these matters would be pursued in accordance with international law.

The ministry said Singapore had a territorial sea limit that extended up to a maximum of 12 nautical miles and an Exclusive Economic Zone which was consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of Dec 10, 1982 which Singapore was a State Party to.

The precise coordinates of Singapores territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone would be announced at an appropriate time, it said.

"Should the limits of its territorial sea or Exclusive Economic Zone overlap with claims of neighbouring countries, Singapore will negotiate with those countries with a view to arriving at agreed delimitations in accordance with international law," the ministry said.

"Singapore reserves its position on international agreements it is not a party to," it added - Bernama

Muhyiddin Asks The People To Accept ICJ's Decision

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 - International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin calls on the people to accept the split decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Friday which gave sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore.

He said although the decision was disappointing, it had to be accepted.

"I'm rather disappointed with the decision made by the ICJ on Pulau Batu Puteh which was not in favour of Malaysia.

"As a subject of Johor, I'm sad because whatever consideration applied by the ICJ under international law, in terms of the historical value, sovereignty and morality, we have lost part of our territory," he said here, shortly after the ICJ made the decision.

The ICJ which sat in The Hague, The Netherlands, voted 12-4 in favour of Singapore, stipulating that the neighbouring country had sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh, while Malaysia was given sovereignty over Middle Rocks after a 15-1 vote.

The ICJ also decided that South Ledge belongs to the country in whose territorial waters it is located.

Based on the judgement, the ICJ decision on Pulau Batu Puteh referred to the letter written by an officer representing the Johor State Secretary in 1953 which the court considered as evidence that power and sovereignty over the island had been handed over to Singapore.

The judgement ended a 28-year-old dispute between Malaysia and Singapore over the island, which was called Pedra Blanca by Singapore, as well as the two corral reefs.

Muhyiddin said Malaysia's success in its claim over Middle Rocks was considered as "a slight boost to our disappointment".

"Hopefully, Singapore will not be arrogant over the latest decision on Pulau Batu Puteh," he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS), Datuk Seri Mohamed Jawhar Hassan said the ICJ decision should have a positive impact on Malaysia-Singapore bilateral relations.

He said this was because it had resolved a dispute which had dragged on for a long time. "The issue is no longer an irritant in our relations. On the part of the people, they should accept it positively," he said when commenting on the decision.

Mohamad Jawhar said Malaysia had decided to accept whatever decision made by the ICJ, whether in favour of Malaysia or Singapore.

"The ICJ decision was made based on submissions made by both parties and much depended on the actions taken by both countries in the 19th, 20th centuries... these were all actions taken by the authorities during the colonial government, Malaya and so on," he said.

He hoped Malaysians would accept the decision responsibly and would respect the law.

"Don't be emotional and spread anti-Singapore sentiments which would not bring any benefit to Malaysia or to bilateral relations between the two countries," he said.

The decision did not mean that Malaysia lost everything because Malaysia too won in the claim over Middle Rocks and it was a win-win situation between Malaysia and Singapore.

Mohamad Jawhar said Malaysia had sent the strongest team with the best expertise to present its case at the ICJ.

The Malaysian team had been involved in the claims over Ligitan Island and Sipadan at the ICJ not long ago where the decision had been in Malaysia's favour.

He also hoped that Malaysia and Singapore could resolve the sovereignty over Southern Ledge amicably based on maritime law - Bernama

Usah salahkan sesiapa dengan keputusan ICJ

KUALA LUMPUR: Keputusan Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) kelmarin yang memberi hak kedaulatan Pulau Batu Puteh kepada Singapura, tidak harus dipolitikkan oleh mana-mana pihak.

Naib Presiden Umno, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, berkata semua pihak juga diminta tidak menyalahkan sesiapa atas keputusan itu dan menerimanya dengan hati terbuka walaupun ia mengecewakan.

"Saya tidak rasa kita menyalahkan sesiapa... ia sudah diputuskan mahkamah tetapi kita akan pastikan sebarang keputusan yang dilakukan negara jiran kelak tidak akan menggugat kepentingan rakyat kita terutama di Johor," katanya kepada pemberita selepas Majlis Taklimat Tertutup "Tata Etika Ahli Umno" dengan Badan Perhubungan Umno Wilayah Persekutuan, di sini, semalam.

Beliau yang juga Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri berkata, Singapura juga harus mengambil kira bahawa kawasan itu sudah sebati dengan rakyat negara ini terutama di Johor.

"Kita harap mereka mempertimbangkan dan tidak mengancam rakyat kita kerana ia pernah menjadi sebahagian wilayah Malaysia," katanya.



Ketua Pemuda Umno, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, berkata walaupun kecewa dengan keputusan ICJ itu, rakyat Johor khususnya, harus bertenang dan menerima hakikat keputusan itu muktamad dan tiada rayuan.

"Kita sudah pun bersetuju dengan keputusan muktamad mahkamah itu dan kita mahukan kestabilan serantau terutama di kawasan tanah selatan ini berkekalan.

"Saya harap Pemuda Umno Johor melihat secara positif pembentukan jawatankuasa dua negara mengenai isu ini tetapi pada masa sama saya mahu juga mereka memantau pelaksanaan kerjasama jawatankuasa yang ditubuhkan itu supaya ia dapat memberi kebaikan kepada semua pihak," katanya.

Beliau yang juga Menteri Pelajaran berjanji memantau secara dekat kaedah yang dilaksanakan jawatankuasa teknikal bersama Malaysia-Singapura untuk menangani isu perairan sekitar Pulau Batu Puteh dalam memastikan ia bukan saja menjaga hubungan kedua-dua negara tetapi kepentingan rakyat Johor terutama nelayan.

Selain itu, beliau berkata, jawatankuasa terbabit juga harus memberi perhatian khusus isu laluan kapal serta ruang udara yang selama ini membelenggu kedua-dua negara kerana ia belum mencapai keputusan di mahkamah - Berita Harian

Secret ballot to decide outcome

KUALA LUMPUR: The outcome of the Pulau Batu Puteh dispute tomorrow will be decided through secret ballot by the judges presiding over the issue at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Malaysia's agent for the case at the ICJ, Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, said the judges would also state their reasons for their decision.

In a special briefing to journalists at Parliament House yesterday, he said the presiding president of the proceeding would cast his vote in the event of a tie.

"We cannot predict the basis of their decisions," he said.

This was because there was no indication on whether the judges would base their decision on whether the matter involved three distinct issues -- Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge -- as Malaysia had requested, or as a whole as requested by Singapore.

He said the decision could see the republic winning outright, merely getting one of the islands or losing their claim altogether.

It could also see the status quo maintained where Pulau Batu Puteh continued to be under Malaysian sovereignty while Singapore would be allowed to operate the lighthouse there.

Abdul Kadir said the Pulau Batu Puteh decision would not be as straightforward as the case of the Sipadan and Ligitan dispute with Indonesia, which was decided in Malaysia's favour by a vote of 16-1.

"It will not be that easy," said Abdul Kadir, who is the adviser for foreign affairs to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim has urged Malaysians to accept and respect whatever decision was made.

"Both Singapore and Malaysia will not make an issue of it," he said at the Parliament lobby after a briefing on the issue to both Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara members at Parliament House yesterday.

Abdullah also attended the briefing.

Rais said Malaysia and Singapore had agreed to set up a technical committee to manage issues arising from the Pualu Batu Puteh decision, whatever it was.

He said this was to enable the interests of both countries involving the island, such as the lighthouse and fishing rights in the surrounding waters, to be managed and administered based on international norms.

"For example, if Malaysia wins, the status of the lighthouse on the island needs to be determined as to whether we still allow Singapore to manage it." - NST

MB gesa ikuti penghakiman Pulau Batu Puteh

BATU PAHAT: Rakyat Johor khususnya, diajak mengikuti siaran langsung keputusan penghakiman berhubung pertindihan tuntutan Pulau Batu Puteh antara Malaysia dengan Singapura oleh Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Jumaat ini.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, berkata keputusan penghakiman di The Hague, Belanda berhubung tuntutan itu dianggap agak luar biasa kerana ia membabitkan kedaulatan negara.

Sehubungan itu, beliau berkata, segenap lapisan masyarakat terutama penduduk negeri Johor, harus meluangkan sedikit masa untuk mengikuti siaran langsung keputusan penghakiman itu.

"Mana yang berkesempatan, silalah tengok siaran langsung itu yang mungkin disiarkan pada waktu pagi kerana saya difahamkan keputusan akan diumumkan pada jam 4 petang di Belanda.

"Rakyat harus mengetahui perkembangan itu kerana saya percaya ada ulasan selari dari sana dan ini akan menambah pengetahuan anda mengenai kes tuntutan Pulau Batu Puteh," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas menghadiri Majlis Penyampaian Anugerah Desa Cemerlang Negeri Johor 2007 di Kampung Sungai Lurus, Senggarang, di sini, petang kelmarin.

Abdul Ghani berkata, seluruh rakyat Johor juga harus mendoakan supaya keputusan itu memihak kepada Malaysia, kerana ia bukan saja mengembalikan hak Johor ke atas pulau berkenaan, tetapi juga membabitkan kedaulatan negara.

Beliau berkata, berdasarkan hujah yang dibentangkan wakil Malaysia di Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) November lalu, beliau yakin keputusan akan menggembirakan seluruh rakyat Malaysia.

"Keyakinan itu berasaskan hujah hasil penyelidikan dari sumber sejarah mengenai apa yang berlaku pada pulau itu serta dokumentasi yang dibentangkan," katanya.

Pertikaian kedaulatan pulau itu antara isu kedua-dua negara yang sudah berlarutan hampir 28 tahun. Singapura mendakwa Pulau Batu Puteh miliknya selepas pemetaan wilayah dibuat Malaysia pada 1979.

Tuntutan terhadap Middle Rock kira-kira 0.5 batu nautika dari Pulau Batu Puteh dan South Ledge berada 1.7 batu nautika dari Middle Rock, dibuat Singapura pada 1993. Pulau Batu Puteh terletak kira-kira 7.75 batu nautika (14.3 kilometer) dari Tanjung Penyusop, Johor berbanding 25 batu nautika (46.3km) dari Singapura - Berita Harian

Batu Puteh verdict to be telecast live on TV1

KUALA LUMPUR, Wed - Will Pulau Batu Puteh be ours? Find out on Friday live as RTM1 will be televising the judgement from The Hague from 4pm.

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the judgment, expected to last about two hours, would be telecast live from the International Court of Justice.

Speaking after briefing editors and journalists from local publications at Parliament House yesterday on the 28-year-old dispute over the island between Malaysia and Singapore, he said the decision to telecast the judgment live was to enable Malaysians to understand the issues raised by the court.

He said interpretation from a third party, such as news services, might be inaccurate.

Shabery said RTM had been carrying a programme on the Pulau Batu Puteh issue as an educational process for the people to understand the matter.

He urged Malaysians to accept the decision and and not to get too emotional if the court ruled in Singapore’s favour.

“Whatever the decision... it should not lead to any negative implication,” he said - NST

RTM siar secara langsung penghakiman kes Pulau Batu Puteh

KUALA LUMPUR: RTM1 akan menyiarkan secara langsung penghakiman oleh Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) mengenai pertikaian hak kedaulatan terhadap Pulau Batu Puteh antara Malaysia dan Singapura mulai jam 4 petang Jumaat ini, kata Menteri Penerangan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, hari ini.

"Siaran langsung dari The Hague, Belanda itu akan memberi peluang kepada rakyat Malaysia, khususnya anak Johor, mengikuti prosiding kes berkenaan daripada kaca mata Malaysia," katanya pada majlis taklimat di Bangunan Parlimen di sini.

Shabery berkata ramai orang Johor mengadakan doa selamat dan sembahyang hajat agar keputusan kes itu memihak kepada Malaysia kerana kes berkenaan amat dekat di hati mereka.

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata, kedua-dua negara berjanji akan akur terhadap keputusan ICJ berhubung pertikaian itu dan pihak yang menang, tidak akan mengadakan sebarang sambutan kemenangan.

"Yang penting di sini ialah mencapai penyelesaian bagi konflik yang berlarutan sejak sekian lama,” katanya sambil menambah bahawa rakyat Malaysia akan menerima apa saja yang diputuskan oleh mahkamah atau sistem antarabangsa.

Isu Pulau Batu Puteh membabitkan pertikaian mengenai hak asal Malaysia terhadap pulau berkenaan apabila ia dituntut Singapura mulai 1980.

Pulau terbabit terletak 7.7 batu nautika dari tanah besar Malaysia dan 25.5 batu nautika melalui laut dari Singapura.

Malaysia adalah pemilik asal Pulau Batu Puteh sejak sekian lama dan pulau itu menjadi sebahagian daripada wilayah Johor.

Malaysia berhujah bahawa kehadiran Singapura di pulau berkenaan adalah semata-mata melalui pembabitannya dalam membina dan menyenggara sebuah rumah api di situ - itupun setelah mendapat restu dan keizinan pemegang kedaulatan pulau berkenaan iaitu Johor - dan oleh itu, ia tidak menyebabkan Malaysia hilang kedaulatan terhadap Pulau Batu Puteh - Bernama

Terima keputusan ICJ: Rais

Oleh Norliza Wasilan

Rakyat perlu tenang hadapiisu perebutan Batu Puteh dengan Singapura

KUALA LUMPUR: Rakyat perlu menerima dengan tenang sebarang keputusan berhubung pemilikan Pulau Batu Puteh yang menjadi rebutan antara Malaysia dan Singapura sejak 28 tahun lalu yang akan diputuskan oleh Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) di The Hague, Belanda, Jumaat ini.

Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, berkata rakyat perlu bertenang dengan keputusan ICJ itu sama ada Malaysia berjaya atau sebaliknya untuk mendapatkan Pulau Batu Puteh.

"Jika apa yang diharapkan tidak menjelma, kita tidak harus jelmakan keputusan itu ke dalam tindakan luar dugaan dan luar undang-undang, ia harus diterima dengan terbuka.

"Janganlah dijelmakan sebagai sesuatu yang huru-hara, mempunyai unsur tunjuk perasaan atau mengeluarkan kata-kata kesat. Kita perlu hormat lunas undang-undang terutama undang-undang antarabangsa kerana jika tidak masyarakat antarabangsa akan menganggap kita tidak menghormati lunas undang-undang yang kita sendiri sama-sama tandatangani untuk menerima penghakimannya," katanya pada sidang akhbar di lobi Parlimen di sini, semalam.

Akhbar sebelum ini melaporkan, keputusan ICJ itu akan disampaikan Naib Presiden Mahkamah itu, Hakim Awn Shawkat Al Khasawneh yang juga Pemangku Presiden.

Terdahulu, Rais mengadakan perjumpaan bersama Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Ahli Dewan Rakyat termasuk pembangkang dan sebahagian Ahli Dewan Negara untuk sesi taklimat ringkas mengenai latar belakang tuntutan Pulau Batu Puteh sehingga dibawa ke ICJ serta memberi beberapa nota hujah kedua-dua belah pihak antara Malaysia dan Singapura.

Rais juga berkata, dari aspek moral, Malaysia mempunyai peluang cerah untuk mendapatkan Pulau Batu Puteh, tetapi sebarang keputusan harus diterima sebaiknya tanpa ada sebarang perasaan prejudis ataupun perkara yang boleh memberi kesan kepada hubungan dua hala.

Sementara itu, Menteri Penerangan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, berkata keputusan itu akan disiarkan menerusi RTM1 mulai jam 4 petang dan dijangka berlanjutan sehingga dua jam - Berita Harian

Singapura perlu hormati keputusan ICJ

TANGGAL 23 Mei ini, adalah tarikh bersejarah dalam hubungan dua hala Malaysia-Singapura. Ini kerana pada tarikh itu, Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) akan bersidang di The Hague, Belanda untuk mengumumkan keputusan kes terpenting membabitkan kedaulatan ke atas Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks dan South Ledge yang menjadi pertikaian sempadan berlarutan antara kedua-dua negara.

Malaysia sebagai negara berdaulat dan menghormati undang-undang antarabangsa dengan persetujuan Singapura mengambil keputusan merujuk pertikaian ini ke ICJ. Semua pihak nanti perlu menghormati keputusan ICJ.

Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim mengambil keputusan berani menulis satu surat terbuka dalam bentuk rencana yang mencerminkan pendirian rasmi kerajaan Malaysia seperti disiarkan Berita Harian minggu lalu.

Tersirat dalam tulisan itu adalah beberapa persoalan berikut sekiranya keputusan ICJ memihak kepada Malaysia dan adakah Singapura:

Menghormati keputusan ICJ; merobohkan rumah api; menarik balik bot peronda dari kawasan itu?

Adakah Singapura akan menghalang nelayan Malaysia menangkap ikan dan berehat di pulau itu?

Adakah Singapura akan membuat rayuan?

Persoalan ini penting kerana keputusan ICJ tidak mempunyai unsur penguatkuasaan undang-undang. Kuasa ICJ adalah setakat mendengar kes dan membuat keputusan yang bijak supaya negara yang bertelagah dapat pengadilan saksama tanpa perlu menyelesaikannya secara kekerasan.

Bagi sebuah negara maju, moden dan makmur seperti Singapura, tidak menghormati keputusan ICJ bermakna ia berdepan satu 'stigma sosial' sebagai negara 'pariah' antarabangsa. Sejauh mana Singapura sanggup menerima hukuman ini banyak bergantung kepada keegoan pemimpin mereka serta pengaruh luar yang sentiasa menangguk di air keruh.

Memandangkan pemimpin Malaysia dan Singapura terdiri daripada orang terpelajar dan berfikiran waras di samping mempunyai ikatan darah dan talian persaudaraan, kita amat yakin Singapura mampu menunjukkan kepada dunia bahawa ia amat menghormati undang-undang antarabangsa walaupun keputusan ICJ jika tidak memihak kepadanya.

Dalam hubungan negara matang dan moden, saluran terbaik menyelesaikan sebarang pertikaian sempadan adalah melalui diplomasi. Untuk itu, saluran komunikasi sentiasa harus terbuka supaya kedua-dua pihak saling memahami isi hati terpendam.

Untuk tujuan itu, Malaysia dan Singapura bersetuju bertemu dalam mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Teknikal Bersama sebelum kes ini diumumkan ICJ supaya "..tidak seharusnya akan timbul rasa sakit hati oleh mana-mana pihak tidak kiralah apa pun keputusan mahkamah ICJ nanti."

Sekiranya keputusan ICJ memihak kepada Malaysia, nelayan Singapura sentiasa dialu-alukan berehat di pulau itu sebagaimana nelayan dari Johor menggunakannya turun-temurun.

Yang penting menurut Rais dalam tulisannya, "walau apapun keputusannya, Malaysia dan Singapura seharusnya kekal sebagai rakan dan jiran yang saling terikat kukuh dengan semangat persefahaman dan keharmonian...".

HASSAN TALIB,
Pesara kerajaan yang pernah
berkhidmat di Kementerian Luar
(1990-1993 Bahagian Asia
Tenggara/Singapura).