Originally posted by ^tamago^:
let's see at the Malaysian side. 
Pulau Batu Puteh case begins
tomorrow
New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia)
November 5, 2007
Author: V. Anbalagan
PUTRAJAYA: A 12-day hearing on the territorial dispute over Pulau
Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge between Malaysia and
Singapore will begin at the International Court of Justice in the
Hague, the Netherlands, from tomorrow.
The proceedings come more than four years after the two countries
signed an agreement to refer the case to the court, the principal
judicial organ of the United Nations.
In the agreement signed on Feb 6, 2003 here, Malaysia and Singapore
requested the court to determine to whom the sovereignty over Pulau
Batu Puteh, and the two adjacent marine features, Middle Rocks and
South Ledge belongs to.
The agreements were ratified by parliaments of both nations which
agreed to accept and be bound by the court's decision. Pulau Batu
Puteh, called Pedra Branca by Singapore, is 7.7 nautical miles off
Johor and 25 nautical miles from Singapore.
It is about the size of a football field, and holds a lighthouse,
communication tower, helipad and jetty constructed by
Singapore.
The dispute over Pulau Batu Puteh arose in 1979 after Malaysia
published new official maps showing it as part of its
territory.
After 1980, Singapore prohibited local fishermen from carrying out
their activities and seeking shelter during bad weather.
At present, the island is under Singapore's control.
Singapore asserts that it has sovereignty as it has maintained the
Horsburgh lighthouse there since 1851.
Malaysia's stand is that she was not making a claim over Pulau Batu
Puteh as it was always part of her territory.
In Malaysia's view, the lighthouse was built and administered only
by consent of the Sultan of Johor, which was granted in 1844.
Both countries tried to resolve the issue through diplomatic means,
but at their first meeting in February 1993 Singapore extended its
claim to Middle Rocks and South Ledge.
Subsequently, both countries agreed in 1994 to refer their dispute
to the ICJ but it was put on the back burner pending the settlement
to the Sipadan and Ligitan territorial dispute between Malaysia and
Indonesia.
The ICJ on Dec 17, 2002, ruled in
favour of Malaysia. The Malaysia-Singapore
dispute will be heard by a 16-man panel led by court vice-president
Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawaneh and two ad-hoc judges appointed by
Malaysia and Singapore.
Court president Rosalyn Higgins had disqualified herself as she was
involved in preparing the case for Singapore.
The Malaysian legal team is led by Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul
Gani Patail, Sir Elihu Lauterpacht, James Crawford, Nicolaas Jan
Schrijver, Marcelo G. Cohen and Penelope Nevill.
Both parties, apart from raising principles and rules of
international law, will also rely on historical background and map
evidence, to argue their case. Judgment is expected in the middle
of next year.
It is typical of the Malaysian
standard of news reporting - half-truths without further details
nor elaborations; misquotes, and irrelevant matching of facts and
circumstances.
What has the ICJ ruled in favor of Malaysia on 17 December 2002
?
How did the ICJ ruled in favor of Malaysia on this date, when the
ICJ began its hearing on this Pedra Branca issue on 6 November 2007
?
The dishonesty of inserting irrelevant events onto this current
proceedings, and dishonest practise of not reporting the current
proceedings in full, will surely distort the expectations of
ordinary Malaysians to the final outcome.
Such dishonest reporting can only result unrealistic emotional
outburst in the event of any ICJ rulings that is not in favor of
the Malaysians.
Unless there is a black hand with its own black agenda guiding the
New Straits Times, it will surely do a better service to all
Malaysians - as well as to the political and diplomatic efforts of
both the Malaysian and Singapore Governments to maintain an even
keel - by reporting the current ICJ proceedings with more
transparent honesty.
Singaporeans will have to prepare for the worst, as we prepare of
the best possible outcome from this ICJ hearing.
We will need to prepare for any negative reactions from those
ultra-nationalist Malaysian Malay politicians with its own private
agenda to score points in using Singapore as a punching
bag.
