Singapore's aggressive expansion of its coastal territory and
its land reclamation policy have sparked problems with neighbors
Indonesia and Malaysia. The issue has evolved into a two-pronged
maritime border dispute.
Nipah Island, one of 83 border islands serving as points of
reference for Indonesia's sea borders, is at the center of
Singapore's current dispute with Jakarta. Nipah lies dead in front
of the main reclamation work and is now almost submerged. Minister
of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin Dahuri points out that if
the island sinks completely the international boundary between
Indonesia and Singapore will change - to Singapore's
advantage.
Though the two countries have an existing agreement on marine
territory, they have not yet settled their continental coastlines
and economic exclusive zones (EEZs). The Convention on the Law of
the Sea states that marine territory is measured based on the
coastal base line. Jakarta is concerned that in the future, some
Riau land could thus be claimed as Singapore's on the basis that if
Singapore gets wider, its territorial line will also get wider
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/EG31Ae01.html
I think not many people know about this dispute with Indonesia as
there is hardly any media coverage on this as compared to the
protests brought about by Malaysia on land reclamation in the
Straits of Johore.
I think Singapore is one of the very few if not the only country in
the world where the land mass of the country is constantly growing!
And with that the EEZ also inceases as well! I hope someone can
provide a map on what Singapore will look like in 10 years time
based on government plans.
This creates a problem. Can we defend the land and waters which we
have created at the end of all this land reclamation? Will this
create a military conflict as both Malaysian and Indonesian
intrests are at stake? Can we handle it? Comments please. 
