Malaysia has assured Singapore that no
reclamation is taking place for its two controversial projects near the Johor
Strait, said state for foreign affairs senior minister Masagos Zulkifli
yesterday.
It
remains committed to fulfilling its obligations under international law and
will take all necessary measures to avoid any adverse transboundary impact, he
said in parliament.
"Singapore
is very concerned about the potential transboundary impact on Singapore from
reclamation projects in Malaysia that are in close proximity to
Singapore," he said in response to questions from Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Ang
Wei Neng.
Singapore
has conveyed its concern on a number of occasions to Malaysia, asking for more
information on these reclamation and construction works, he added.
Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke and wrote to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib
Razak on the matter in May.
National
development minister Khaw Boon Wan, who co-chairs the Malaysia-Singapore Joint
Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia, also wrote to his Malaysian
counterpart the same month.
The
issue was also discussed in May at a meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint
Committee on the Environment in Malaysia.
Malaysia
had responded on June 30 to Singapore's request for the projects to be
temporarily suspended until Singapore receives and studies information on them.
The
Straits Times understands that Malaysia's Department of Environment was
responding to a letter sent by the National Environment Agency.
The
Malaysian foreign ministry then sent a diplomatic note to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MFA) on July 1.
Malaysia
has also given Singapore preliminary general information on the projects and
promised to share all other information once ready, Masagos said.
Singapore
is seeking further clarifications on some of the information provided, and will
study the projects' impact.
"We
have proposed to hold consultations with Malaysia so that both sides can
further discuss and exchange information on these projects," he added.
The
major reclamation works first attracted controversy last month, with concerns
over their possible impact on Singapore and the environment.
The
first project, a luxury home complex on a man-made island three times the size
of Ang Mo Kio, is located near the Second Link.
Dubbed
Forest City, it is developed by China's Country Garden Holdings and a Johor
state company.
The
second is a residential project by China developer Guangzhou R&F Properties
named Princess Cove.
Singapore
was not given prior information on either project, and it is concerned about
the effect on the coastal environment and infrastructure, among other problems,
said Masagos.
Under
international law, Malaysia is obligated to "not permit reclamation activities
of this scale and nature to take place so close to Singapore without first
conducting an environmental impact assessment", he said.
If
damage to the environment has been caused or is imminent, Malaysia has a duty
to immediately notify Singapore, he added.
Under a
2005 settlement agreement following a reclamation case, both countries must
monitor their environments in the Johor Strait, share information and address
any adverse impacts.
According
to a Johor official, Forest City developers had voluntarily stopped work for
about a week while awaiting approval from the Department of Environment.
But a
Straits Times check on June 25 found that work on a sandbank was still ongoing,
as the developers had asked for more time to wind down operations.
Charissa
Yong
Business & Investment Opportunities
Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd (SBC) is incorporated
in Singapore since 1994.
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