KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — Malaysia and Singapore are holding maritime demarcation negotiations on several areas, and every decision will be based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said the negotiations are not focused on just one area, but rather several maritime border zones between the two countries, which required comprehensive scrutiny.
“This negotiation is not just one, there are many areas that are maritime border areas between the two countries, so we want to see that it is managed well,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Mohamad was responding to a supplementary question by Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) about the status of negotiations on Batu Puteh, Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan, which Isam said touch on sovereignty, national dignity, and the people’s trust.
According to Mohamad, Malaysia is committed to legal principles in managing the negotiations, and would not budge on the importance of defending the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights.
Responding to Isam’s original question about the security status in Batu Puteh waters and steps the government has taken and would take to address it, Mohamad said the Batu Puteh issue was addressed based on the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2008, and was discussed during the Malaysia-Singapore annual leaders’ retreat.
“Regarding Batu Puteh, we are governed by a decision or judgment by the ICJ in 2008… that is why both our countries have an annual leaders’ retreat to negotiate how we want to resolve the maritime boundary between Malaysia and Singapore,” he said.
Mohamad said talks are aimed at ensuring the country’s sovereign rights are not violated, and that they are held amicably.
