Row brews over Singapore land reclamation near Malaysia border
Row brews over Singapore land reclamation near Malaysia border
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia has expressed fears that a land reclamation project in neighboring Singapore will obstruct its plan to become a regional shipping hub, reports said Tuesday.
A preliminary report on the environmental and economic impact of the land reclamation program in the Tebrau Strait separating the two countries would be released in cabinet Wednesday, said Land and Cooperative Development Minister Kasitah Gaddam.
Kasitah said work at certain stretches along the straits was "too close to the country's border and would certainly be a loss to Malaysia", adding that the narrowed sea lane would obstruct ships headed for ports in the southernmost Johor state.
"If this happens, ships going to the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) may be forced to use Singapore waters," Kasitah was quoted as saying by The Sun daily.
The PTP, one of the largest ports in the world, rose as a viable alternative to Singapore after Evergreen Marine Corp. moved its Southeast Asian transit center in January from the tiny republic to the Johor port.
Shipping industry players said Evergreen's shift, which followed a similar move last year by Danish global container line Maersk Sealand, had placed Malaysia as a worthy challenger to Singapore's position as one of the region's main container ports.
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said last month the land reclamation activities were getting closer to Malaysian borders.
"What they do within their borders is their affair. But what is important is they do not encroach into our territory," he said.
An editorial in the New Straits Times Tuesday quoted state authorities as saying the landfills at the narrow straits had been "cleverly designed to obstruct smooth operations of Tanjung Pelepas Port, which is seen as a viable alternative to Singapore."
"Although there is no encroachment upon our territorial water, the fact remains that the maritime boundary between the two nations would be altered," the paper said, warning of potential friction over the issue.