TTF: On the 30th of May 2018, I wrote (in orange):
Dr Mahathir Mohamad has snapped back to his “Free for All with Singapore” mode by announcing the building of a new island where the once disputed Middle Rocks cluster stands. After meeting Singaporean premier Lee Hsien Long, son of his arch nemesis, Lee Kuan Yew, Mahathir announced the scrapping of the much needed High-Speed Rail (HSR) Link between Kuala Lumpur and the southern republic and is now undertaking to expand Malaysian territory.
The expansion involves the introduction of non-submerged land mass around Middle Rocks, a cluster of existing land mass situated within the eastern opening of the Singapore Straits and the western edge of the South China Sea. The move is likely to redefine security borders around the Straits of Singapore and is set to erupt into a bitter disputes between our two nations in matters of Maritime surveillance and enforcement.
Should this happen, the Prime Minister will hold Lee at ransom by seeking renegotiations of the Johor-Singapore water agreements (1961 and 1962), the Wayleave Agreements, and the agreement that Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia jointly signed in October 2017 to improve security around the Malacca and Singapore Straits. Assuming these agreements are renegotiated, there will be nothing to stop Mahathir from seeking further negotiations with Singapore to replace the entire causeway with a new bridge.
Well, it looks like Singaporean Deputy Premier Teo Chee Hean just indicated that the republic has no intention whatsoever to renegotiate those agreements and is willing to fight tooth and nail to observe them.
SINGAPORE: Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean called on Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the sidelines of the 24th International Conference on the Future of Asia in Japan.
“Both sides should continue to advance our bilateral ties on the basis of existing agreements,” said Teo who is also Singapore Coordinating Minister for National Security in a statement issued here today.
Both leaders reaffirmed the longstanding and extensive bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia.
They noted the frequent interactions between Ministers and senior officials of both countries.
Teo and Dr Mahathir agreed to explore new areas of collaboration, such as trade and investments, for mutual benefit.
They also exchanged views on regional and global developments.
Teo was accompanied by Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat.
Themed “Keeping Asia Open – How to Achieve Prosperity and Stability”, the conference was organised by Nikkei Inc. in Tokyo.
Teo and Dr Mahathir agreed that both countries should continue to cooperate to strengthen ASEAN and safeguard regional stability and development.
Source: NST Online
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