BATU PUTIH

 Hi readers

Not too late to wish you all happy welcoming 2024. May this year we will be blessed with healthy life and peaceful mind .

I choose this topic as it was close to my job in defense industry.

From Prof Dr Ramasamy

Why RCI on Batu Putih?

I am not exactly clear why the government has to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the sovereignity of the islands of Batu Putih, Middle Rocks and Southern Ledge, off the coast of Johore. 

I thought the sovereignty of the three islands were settled when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May 2008 decided to recognise Batu Putih belonging to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia and the Sothern Ledge to the territorial waters of the country in which it was situated. 

Under the government of Najib Razak there was an attempt to appeal the decision of the ICJ in 2017,  I understand an hastily prepared application ostensibly based on fresh evidence. 

But unfortunately, when Dr Mahathir Mohammed became the prime minister in 2018, the appeal was withdrawn on the grounds of lacking merit. Moreover, the cost of the appeal would have been financially burdensome. 

Subsequently, given the Sultan of Johor’s unhappiness over the sovereignty question of Batu Putih and the adjacent islands, a task force was set up to re-examine the sovereignty of these islands. 

However, given the difficulty of retracting information pertaining to the sovereignty, the task force has been abandoned. In place, the Madani government has agreed for a RCI on the islands.

I am not sure about the terms of the reference of the RCI whose members are still to be named by the Yang Dipertuan Agong. Perhaps the formation of the RCI is still at the initial stage to read too much into it. 

The RCI might be better framework to examine the events that led to Malaysia’s loss of sovereignty over Batu Putih. 

The RCI could also explain the nature of the appeal and what were the new sources of information that constituted the basis of the appeal. 

Why did the government of Mahathir withdrew the appeal and what were the reasons given to say that the appeal would not stand a chance in the ICJ. 

I don’t think that the RCI is meant for Malaysia to reassert its sovereignty over the Batu Putih. 

I believe that a diplomatic and bilateral approach should be pursued for the eventual reassertion of sovereignty. 

The decision made by the ICJ in 2008 was the final. Even the appeal in 2017 somewhat late given the decision was made in 2008.

What will be interesting to know whether the RCI will look into the following areas. 

First, why in the first place Malaysia lost its sovereignty over Batu Putih and why Singapore emerged the winner. 

Second, what was the nature of the appeal in 2017 and the grounds for this. 

Third, was Mahathir right in withdrawing the appeal. Shouldn’t he have had left the decision to the ICJ? Was this an example of naivety or arrogance of power, or both?

Fourth, why was the task force formed and abandoned?  Was it formed with the intention to shift the blame on the former attorney general Tommy Thomas and the former prime minister, Mahathir on why Malaysia lost its sovereignty over the island? 

Fifth, the RCI as a mechanism to gather information on Malaysia’s quest for sovereignty is fine, but whether it could overturn the decision of the ICJ might be non-starter. It is not that Malaysia should say goodbye to its claim over the sovereignty of Batu Putih as other channels should be used to pursue the long term goal of sovereignty.

I am all for RCI on Batu Putih if such an effort lays the foundation of an eventual diplomatic settlement of sovereignty in favour of Malaysia.

From Captain Syed Sharom RMN, he said 

My take. Malaysia needs to consider how much of its maritime interest is lost or jeopardised resulting from Singapore’s sovereignty over Pu Batu Putih. To my mind Malaysia has lost almost nothing except (1) a small Singapore territorial water around the lighthouse whose area would be much shrunk as it is sandwiched by and overlaps with Malaysia’ territorial water (MTW) off south Johore as well as that of Middle Ledge, and (2) the “light and buoy” dues from ships passing by the lighthouse is now payable to Singapore Port Authority not to Malaysia. I think Singapore’s original aim of acquiring sovereignty over Pu Batu Puteh was to acquire a huge chunk of EEZ extending eastward over the South China Sea that could have stemmed from its territorial waters around the lighthouse. Alas, that aim is doomed because similar MTW and EEZ emanating from Middle Ledge, barely two cables to the south of the lighthouse which the ICJ had awarded as belonging to Malaysia, would negate such Singapore’s EEZ aspiration. So, what Malaysia needs to do is fortify its assertion of sovereignty over Middle Ledge and lose nothing. Malaysia loses on “light and buoy” dues from the lighthouse but it saves a lot of money for not having to maintain the lighthouse. The planned RCI would be a waste of effort for it might have a hidden agenda of unnecessary witch hunting.

From our friend Lone Wolf 

Pu Batu Putih is strategic to Singapore in extending shipping surveillance and proof of usefulness of Singapore to her allies, most notably the US as an added value to her importance.  Looking at the installation even just from outside could gauge the resources required and maintenance over the years of which, nothing on Middle Rock could compare. Seriously? Want to take back Pu Batu Putih?

And what do you think??

I hope to get some comment from #Singaporean

This letter kill Malaysia chances in PBB