Singapore:Malaysia has no original title of Pedra Branca

An issue that has really caught the attention of Singaporeans as well as Malaysians this week will be the court hearing of the ownership of Pedra Branca in the International Court of Justice.

On the second day of hearing, Singapore continued to present its case on the sovereignty of Pedra Branca and its outcrops of Middle Rocks and South Ledge. The Singapore team argued that what the British did on Pedra Branca showed clear intent of Singapore’s ownership over the island, and that Malaysia’s whole claim of sovereignty over Pedra Branca falls apart because it does not have the original title of the island.

Singapore has four days till Friday to present its case. After that, Malaysia will have the same time-frame to present its arguments.

Some interesting evidence brought out during the session:
1. Even Malaysia’s own historical experts could not confirm that the Johor state then, in the era of 1820s and 30s, had ownership of Pedra Branca.

2.There exists not one single document, not a treaty, not a declaration, not a judicial decision, not a doctrinal opinion which establishes, or even implies, in any way whatsoever, that Johor enjoyed or exercised any sort of a territorial title over Pedra Branca before Great Britain took possession of the island. Even the experts consulted by Malaysia are wary of affirming this

3.Malaysia had misinterpreted a letter to say that the British had asked permission from Johor to build a lighthouse then

4.Malaysia claims that in history, fishermen and pirates operating around Pedra Branca acknowledged the native rulers, not the British, so that should show that Pedra Branca belongs to Malaysia

5.Singapore maintains the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the island and grants permission to others for visits.

6.Singapore also considered reclamation plans for the island in the 1970s – something which Singapore would never have done if Pedra Branca did not belong to her.

7.Queen’s Counsel Brownlie (singapore) cited activities like the British planning the design of the lighthouse, as well as the laying of its foundation stone in 1850.

I feel that Pedra Branca is strategically important to singapore despite its small size (around the size of a football field). It connects the Straits of Singapore to the South China Sea as seen from this map. Singapore will lose the isle as well as the vast sea territories surrounding it if they lose the rights of ownership of Pedra Branca. This will also result in inconvinence for trading with Singapore via sea routes and might result in negative impacts to the Sinagpore economy.

With rightful ownership of Pedra Branca, Singapore will be able to enforce stricter control as well as security around the island and its seas. As can be seen from the map, Pedra Branca is located at the intersection between South China Sea and the Straits of Singapore. With strengthed security around the isle, it deters the possible terrorist attacks to Singapore or Johor via sea route, as well as piracy in the reigion.

Informations from Channel News Asia