Malaysia can measure the Johor Bahru port limits to find out if the country's authorities have encroached into Singaporean territorial waters, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The prime minister said this today when asked about a protest sent by the republic, claiming that Malaysia had recently extended the Johor Bahru port limits in a manner which encroached into Singaporean territorial waters off Tuas.
"We can measure, to see whether it is true or not that we have encroached (into Singapore's territory) or whether we are still within our own waters," he told reporters after launching the Union of Pos Malaysia Uniformed Staff Congress in Shah Alam this morning.
Mahathir was answering a question by reporters over the protest lodged by Singapore.
It was reported yesterday that Singapore's Transport Ministry said they stand ready to engage with Malaysia to resolve matters related to Johor Bahru port limits, amicably, in accordance with international law.
According to a Bernama report, the Singapore ministry said the extension of Johor Bahru port limits was done through Malaysia’s publication of Federal Government Gazette P.U. (B) 587 “Declaration of Alteration of Port Limits for Johore Bahru Port” dated Oct 25, 2018 (the “Gazette Notification”), Port Circular No. 88/2018 dated Nov 11, 2018 (“PC 88/2018”) and Notice to Mariners No. 164/2018 dated Nov 22, 2018 (“NtM 164/2018”).
Singapore said it lodged a strong protest with the Malaysian government and requested that Malaysia amend the Gazette Notification PC 88/2018 and NtM 164/2018 to reflect the sovereignty of Singapore over the waters in question.
The Singapore Transport Ministry also said that they requested Malaysia refrain from taking any further unilateral action.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a coastal state may claim up to 12 nautical miles (approximately 22 kilometres) of territorial waters from the state's baseline. - Mkini
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