KL 'violates' int'l law over new bridge plan to S'pore

KL 'violates' int'l law over new bridge plan to S'pore

Agencies, Singapore

Malaysia would be violating international law if it pursues a
plan to demolish a bridge linking itself with neighboring
Singapore and start work on a new one, Singapore's foreign
minister said on Monday.

S. Jayakumar told parliament that a unilateral proposal from
its large northern neighbor to construct a new land link was
wrong as the bridge was an international facility.

The existing bridge "cannot be lawfully demolished without the
approval, agreement and involvement of both States," Jayakumar
said.

Leo Michael Toyad, Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister, said in
September last year that his administration did not need approval
from Singapore to begin work on the bridge. Without the city-
state's approval, the new bridge was likely to end dangling in
the middle of the Johor Straits, which separates the two
Southeast Asian neighbors.

Everyday, nearly 100,000 Malaysians use the current bridge to
commute to work in Singapore. Kuala Lumpur feels the new bridge
would ease congestion and increase passenger traffic between the
two countries.

Construction of the new bridge, initially expected to be
completed by 2005, was part of a package deal that included an
extension of Malaysia's water supply to Singapore beyond 2061.
But Malaysia called off talks in 2002 after it alleged the city-
state was not prepared to pay it a fair price for raw water.

Despite the difference, however, Singapore called on Monday
for an end to the long-standing acrimony that has plagued
relations with Malaysia as it laid the groundwork for Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi's first visit here as Malaysian prime minister.

Jayakumar said it was time to open a new chapter between the
two nations, stressing warmer ties would be of mutual benefit.

"I think the challenge for both sides in the new era is to
look for ways of starting a new chapter in bilateral relations,"
Jayakumar said ahead of Abdullah's one-day visit here next
Monday.

"Yes, there are issues from the old era which have to be
addressed but we have to find a way of addressing them in a way
that we do not reopen the acrimonious past which we have
traveled in previous years."

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is due to meet
his Singapore counterpart Goh Chok Tong on Jan. 12 on his first
official visit to the island-nation since replacing Mahathir
Mohamad in October.