Catatan utk Bang Zul

Sources: Wikipedia

Issues Related Singapore Reclamation Project and Malaysia

In 2003, Singapore received backlash from Malaysia over land reclamation projects at
either end of the Straits of Johore, which separate the two countries.[5] Malaysia claimed that
Singapore's plans infringed on Malaysian dominion and were detrimental to both the
environment and the livelihoods of local fishermen,[5]and legally challenged Singapore
under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.[5] The dispute was settled after arbitration.[5]
More recently, Singapore has issued its own complaints against Malaysia regarding the
latter's two land reclamation projects in the Straits of Johore. One project would involve the
creation and linkage of four islands within the strait, creating a new metropolis called
Forest City,[5] which Malaysia plans to advertise as a garden oasis, with buildings covered
by greenery and an impressive expanse of public transport. Progress on the project came
to a halt after Singapore protested its construction in 2014, but the Malaysian government
reportedly approved a scaled-down version of the project in January 2015. [5]

Environmental consequences
Singapore's industrialization (particularly in terms of coastal development) and land
reclamation projects have resulted in the extensive loss of marine habitats along the city-
state's shores.[16]The majority of Singapore's southern coast has been altered through the
process of land reclamation, as have large areas of the northeastern coast. [16]Many
offshore islands have been changed, often through the filling of waters between small
islands in order to create cohesive landmasses.[16]
Such development has led to the loss of 95% of Singapore's mangroves. [17]When Stamford
Raffles arrived in Singapore in 1819, the land was largely mangrove swamp; today,
mangrove cover accounts for less than 0.5% of Singapore's total land area.[18][19]This loss
has greatly diminished the beneficial effects of mangroves, which include protection
against erosion and reduction in organic pollution,[20] both of which serve to ameliorate coastal
water quality.[20]

Singapore has also suffered an enormous loss in coral reefs as the result of extensive land
and coastal development.[17]Prior to the land reclamation of the last several decades,
Singapore's coral reefs covered an estimated 100 km2(39sqmi).[19] By 2002, that number
had dropped to 54 km2 (21 sq mi).[19] Estimates are that up to 60% of the habitat is no
longer sustainable.[19] Since coral reef monitoring was first instigated in the late 1980s, a
clear overall decline in live coral cover has been noted, as has a decline in the depths at
which corals thrive.[21] Fortunately, though there have been limited extinctions of local
species, overall coral reef diversity has not diminished: the main loss has instead been a
general, relatively equal decrease in the population abundance of each species. [21]Coral
reefs are valued for their work towards carbon sequestration and shore protection (particularly
in the dispersal of wave energy), as well as for their contributions to fisheries production,
ecotourism, and scientific research.[22]
Singapore has also seen the negative effects of industrialization impact several other
coastal and marine habitats, such as seagrass, seabed, and seashores, all of which have
suffered loss or degradation similar to that of the mangroves and coral reefs.[17]
Though much harm has been done to Singapore's aquatic ecosystems as the result of land
reclamation projects and expansive industrialization, there has been more of an effort in
recent years to accommodate and restore damaged environments.[23] Since the mid-
1990s, more attention has been paid to environmental impact assessments(EIAs), which identify
the potential ecological consequences of a given developmental venture as well as
 possible ways to lessen the environmental harm.[17] In the development of the Semakau
Landfill, for example, an extensive EIA was carried out after the project's commission in
1999.[24] The assessment found that coral reefs and mangroves within the allotted 350 ha
(860 acres) project would be harmed,[25] and as a result plans were put in place to reforest
the mangroves elsewhere, and sediment screens were installed to prevent silt from
reaching reefs that would have otherwise been negatively affected.[25] EIAs are not,
however, required by any legislature, and thus are not mandatory for land reclamation
projects.[17] Yet the Singapore government has been increasingly open to public feedback
regarding increased sustainability in future land projects.[23]
In terms of restoration efforts, nature activists and public authorities alike have been
working more and more towards the strengthening of biotic communities. [23] Though
Singapore has seen the extinction of more than 28% of native flora and fauna, it has also
witnessed the introduction of foreign flora and fauna to its ecosystems, increasing the
country's biodiversity. Efforts towards the development of nature reserves have also helped
to protect local wildlife, over half of which is now present only in such reserves.

Sand Mining

In 1997, Malaysia announced a ban on the export of sand, [13]yet Malaysian media continue
to report rampant smuggling of sand into Singapore, leading then former Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad to protest that these corrupt sand miners were "digging Malaysia and
giving her to other people".[13]

Starting in November 2016, Singapore has started to use a different land reclamation
method, the polder development method, which should lessen its reliance on sand for land
reclamation.[14] Used by the Netherlands for many years, this method involves building a
wall to keep out seawater from a low-lying tract of land, known as a polder, while drains
and/or pumps control water levels.[14] It is to be used first on the northwestern tip of Pulau
Tekong, a future military training base which will be expanded by 810 ha (2,000 acres). [14]

References
1. ^R. Glaser, P. Haberzettl, and R. P. D. Walsh, "Land Reclamation in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau"
GeoJournal(August 1991), accessed February 16, 2017.
2. ^Tai-Chee Wong, Belinda Yuen, and Charles Goldblum, ed., Spatial Planning for a Sustainable Singapore
(Springer Science + Business Media B.V., 2008), 26.
3. ^a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i, Glaser, "Land Reclamation".
4. ^Wong, Spatial Planning. VII.
5. ^a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j "Such Quantities of Sand," The Economist. February 26, 2015.
6. ^Wong, Spatial Planning. 120–21.
7. ^Wong, Spatial Planning. 23.
8. ^Matt K. Matsuda, Pacific Worlds: A History of Seas, Peoples, and Cultures (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2012). 197.
9. ^a,b,c,d,e,f National Library Board Singapore, http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/feddcf2a-2074-4ae6-b272-
dc0db80e2146 “Singapore’s First Land Reclamation Project Begins", last modified 2014.
10. ^a, b Wong, Spatial Planning. 51.
11. ^Goh Chok Tong, "Singapore is the Global City of Opportunity" (Keynote Address, Singapore
Conference in London, March 15, 2015).
12. ^Asad-ul Iqbal Latif, Lim Kim San: A Builder of Singapore (ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, 2009).
13. a b c d e f g h i j k Denis D. Gray, "Cambodia sells sand; environment ravaged", Asian
Reporter (2011).
14. ^a b c d e Alice Chia, "New reclamation method aims to reduce Singapore's reliance on
sand," Channel News Asia (2016).
15. ^a b c d Lindsay Murdoch, "Sand wars: Singapore's growth comes at the environmental expense of
its neighbors", The Sydney Morning Herald (2016).
16. ^a b c Wong, Spatial Planning. 170.
17. ^a b c d e Wong, Spatial Planning. 171.
18. ^ Matt K. Matsuda, Pacific Worlds: A History of Seas, Peoples, and Cultures. 197-200.
19. ^a b c d Wong, Spatial Planning. 172.
20. ^a b Wong, Spatial Planning. 176.
21. ^a b Wong, Spatial Planning. 173.
22. ^ Wong, Spatial Planning. 174.
23. ^ a b c Wong, Spatial Planning. 11.
24. ^ Wong, Spatial Planning. 177-178.
25. ^ a b Wong, Spatial Planning. 178.

Singaporean land reclamation case

Diispute between Singapore and Malaysia resulted from Singapore's reclaiming of land in two
areas, namely in the southwestern end of the island called the Tuas development, and in
the waters adjacent to Pulau Tekong in the Straits of Johor. The latter does not involve any
encroachment into the territorial waters of Malaysia, and Malaysia merely argued that the
reclamation works would affect the environment of the Straits of Johor as a shared
waterway.
The Tuas development, however, can be deemed a case of territorial dispute as Malaysia
claims the reclamation works has encroached into its territorial waters in an area called
the "Point 20 sliver".[12] The "sliver", regarded as an anomaly by Singapore, arises as a
result of the unilateral declaration of Malaysia's territorial waters boundary as defined by a
1979 map published by Malaysia where, between turning points No 19 and No 21, Point 20
strikes out to the east of the general continental shelf boundary towards Singapore, thus
forming a triangle of Malaysian territorial waters extending eastwards from the general
north-south territorial waters boundary. The Tuas development reclamation project
encroaches into this sliver of territorial waters. Singapore does not recognise the 1979
continental shelf boundary and, thus, does not recognise the "point 20 sliver" as under
Malaysian sovereignty.[13]
In 2003, Malaysia submitted a case to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and
requested for provisional measures against Singapore's reclamation works, including that
concerning Point 20. On 8 October 2003, the tribunal decided that:
Malaysia has not shown that there is a situation of urgency or that there is a risk that its
rights with respect to an area of its territorial sea would suffer irreversible damage pending
consideration of the merits of the case by the arbitral tribunal. Therefore, the Tribunal does
not consider it appropriate to prescribe provisional measures with respect to the land
reclamation by Singapore in the sector of Tuas.[14]

The other parts of the order covered the issue of land reclamation around Pulau Tekong,
whereby the tribunal ordered the two countries to jointly establish a group of independent
experts to come up with a report "within a period not exceeding one year from the date of
this Order, the effects of Singapore’s land reclamation and to propose, as appropriate,
measures to deal with any adverse effects of such land reclamation."[15]
After a 13-month study, the group of experts reported that of 57 impacts identified, 40
could only be detected in a computer model but not likely to be detectable out in the field,
while the remaining 17 impacts could be eliminated via prescribed mitigating measures.
[16] Singapore's Agent Professor Tommy Koh said, "The happy news, of course, is that the
two delegations were able to agree on the appropriate way in which these
recommendations would be implemented", which allowed both countries to come to an
amicable solution which resulted in the termination of the arbitration proceedings. The
Settlement Agreement was signed by both countries on 26 April 2005.
 As for the Point 20 issue, which was not specifically touched on by the group of experts as
it concerned the issue of delimitation of the Malaysia-Singapore maritime boundary, the
two countries reached an agreement not to deal with the issue in this negotiation.
"We both agreed that this will be taken up subsequently, in other negotiations. In the
meantime, both sides recognise that neither side has given up any rights they have under
international law or their right to resort to other peaceful means of settling this
outstanding dispute."[17]

References
1. ^ Agreement between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of the Republic of Singapore to
delimit precisely the territorial waters boundary in accordance with the Straits Settlement and Johor
Territorial Waters Agreement 1927, signed on 7 August 1995.
2. ^ https://www1.mfa.gov.sg/Newsroom/Press-Statements-Transcripts-and-Photos/2008/05/MFA-Press-Statement-International-Court-
of-Justice-awards-sovereignty-of-Pedra-Branca-to-Singapore-2
3. ^ Charney, Jonathan I (2005). International Maritime Boundaries. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 2345–
56. ISBN 90-411-0345-7.
4. ^ The agreement appears as a schedule in Singapore's Straits Settlements and Johore Territorial Waters
(Agreement) Act 1928.
5. ^ See map Archived 10 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine reproduced by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in the country's response in the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea case concerning the
reclamation of lands by Singapore in the Straits of Johor Archived 10 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
6. ^ "Port Marine Circular No. 8 of 2018". Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. 30 November 2018.
Retrieved 5 December 2018.
7. ^ "Singapore lodges 'strong protest' over extension of Johor Bahru port limits". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 5
December 2018.
8. ^ Sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge (Malaysia/Singapore), 1 Memorial of
Singapore, p22 (International Court of Justice 2004).
9. ^ Transcript of Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo and Indonesia Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda,
DEPLU, Gedung Pancasila, 10 March 2009, 10 March 2009, archived from the original on 25 July 2009, retrieved 13
March 2009
10. ^ Mahavera, Sheridan (24 May 2008), "Legal implications 'to be studied'", New Straits Times, p. 4
11. ^ https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/malaysia-withdraws-pedra-branca-case-singapore-happy-to-agree-says-vivian-
balakrishnan
12. ^ See map1 and map2 of "point 20" reproduced in Case concerning Land Reclamation by Singapore
in and around the Straits of Johor (Malaysia v. Singapore), Provisional Measures, Case 12, Response of
Singapore (International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea 2003).
13. ^ Case concerning Land Reclamation by Singapore in and around the Straits of Johor (Malaysia v.
Singapore), Provisional Measures, Case 12, Response of Singapore(International Tribunal for the Law of the
Sea 2003).
14. ^ "Order in the case concerning land reclamation by Singapore in and around the Straits of Johor (Malaysia v.
Singapore)" (PDF) (Press release). International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. 8 October 2003. Retrieved 27
May 2008.
15. ^ "Order in the case concerning land reclamation by Singapore in and around the Straits of Johor (Malaysia v.
Singapore)" (PDF) (Press release). International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. 8 October 2003. Retrieved 8
February 2014.
16. ^ "Transcript of Press Conference by Professor Tommy Koh, Agent of the Government of Singapore for the Reclamation
Issue and Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, Deputy Secretary (Special Duties), Ministry Of National Development on Tuesday, 26 Apr
2005" (Press release). Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. 26 April 2005. Archived from the originalon 8
February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
17. ^ "Transcript of Press Conference by Professor Tommy Koh, Agent of the Government of Singapore for the Reclamation
Issue and Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, Deputy Secretary (Special Duties), Ministry Of National Development on Tuesday, 26 Apr
2005" (Press release). Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. 26 April 2005. Archived from the originalon 8
February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
18. ^ Seow, Bei Yi (11 July 2017). "New tech to keep Singapore-Malaysia border - the world's busiest - safe". The
Straits Times.
19. ^ Singapore, National Library Board,. "The Causeway | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
Retrieved 2016-08-02.
20. ^ "History of Our Checkpoints". Retrieved 2016-08-02.