Singapore has not received any official proposal or communications from Malaysia on the construction of a new road link between both countries, said the republic's Foreign Affairs ministry today.
Singapore's Straits Times (ST) quoted the ministry saying this in a statement, in response to Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian's recent remark that Johor will build a third link between Malaysia and Singapore next year.
Osman had reportedly said that he had discussed the project with the Johor Sultan, and the precise location remains to be decided by the Johor government.
According to him, both countries would discuss their recent territorial dispute during the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) for Iskandar Malaysia next month, which he will attend with Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali.
A spokesperson for Singapore's Foreign Affairs ministry pointed out that JMC does not have the mandate to discuss issues related to the Johor Bahru port limits issue.
"The JMC for Iskandar Malaysia, which is a regular, institutionalised bilateral platform for both sides to review the progress of economic cooperation in Iskandar Malaysia, is scheduled to meet in January 2019.
"Singapore has also not received any official proposal or communications from Malaysia related to the construction of any new road link between Singapore and Malaysia," said the spokesperson.
This is Osman's second remark regarding the third link.
Back in August, he had said that the Johor government was in talks with a company to erect a bridge connecting Sungai Rengit in Pengerang, to Pulau Ubin in Singapore.
However, Singapore's Ministry of Transport had then said that it had not received any proposal for any such link.
The Singapore and Malaysia bilateral spat on maritime boundaries resurfaced on Dec 4 when the republic claimed the recent extension of the Johor Bahru port limits had encroached into Singapore's territorial waters off Tuas.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the claim was inaccurate, pointing out that the new port limits were in Malaysia’s territorial sea.
Singapore has also claimed that Malaysian government vessels were continually intruding into its territorial waters off Tuas, with 14 intrusions recorded so far. - Mkini
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