KUALA LUMPUR: There are no plans to re-map the maritime boundary in the Johor Strait between Tebrau and Singapore, says Datuk Mohamad Alamin.
The Deputy Foreign Minister said in a parliamentary written reply dated Thursday (Nov 15) that Malaysia and Singapore had signed an agreement on territorial water boundaries in 1995, adding that this remains the only maritime boundary agreement between the two governments.
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He said Malaysia and Singapore signed the Agreement Between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of the Republic of Singapore to Delimit Precisely the Territorial Waters Boundary In Accordance With the Straits Settlement and Johore Territorial Waters Agreement 1927 on Aug 7, 1995.
Mohamad added that his ministry is of the view that re-mapping the boundary between the waters of Singapore and Johor in the strait is unnecessary as the earlier demarcation is still applicable.
“Before 1995, the Malaysia-Singapore maritime boundary in the Tebrau Strait stretch of the Johor Strait was based on the centre of the deep water channel as stipulated in the Straits Settlements and Johor Territorial Waters agreement on Oct 19, 1927,” he said.
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Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong (Barisan Nasional-Ayer Hitam) had asked about the government’s consideration of demands to re-map the maritime boundaries between Singapore and Johor especially at the Tebrau Strait.
This followed an incident in which local fishermen were chased off by Singaporean authorities from the Pasir Laba territory.
Mohamad added that Malaysia and Singapore still have unsettled segments that have not been demarcated and are under negotiation.
