SINGAPORE –Malaysia must stop its “unlawful activities” in Singapore territorial waters immediately, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said on Saturday (Dec 8), warning that the situation on the ground is "tense".

Mr Chan added that Singapore has sent a third-party note to the High Commission of Malaysia earlier on Saturday morning calling on Malaysia to return to the pre-Oct 25 status quo, adding that the Republic welcomed talks between both sides but was also prepared to put the issue to third-party dispute settlement if talks "do not eventually produce an amicable resolution".

"We can discuss the dates and the agenda... The Singapore Government is hopeful that through the engagement of both countries, the governments of Malaysia and Singapore can reach a swift and amicable resolution to these issues," Mr Chan told reporters at Buona Vista Community Club.

“We have to be sincere. Singapore is sincere," he added.

The third-party note was in response to a proposal by Malaysia on Friday calling on both sides to not send assets to the waters west of Tuas which Malaysia claimed for the first time on Oct 25.

“The ships are in close proximity to one another and we know that some are armed. So the risk of escalation cannot be underestimated. Accidents can happen,” he said, as he called on Malaysia to revert to the pre-Oct 25 status quo ante for things to calm down. 

"We have to be sensible about this." 

The Singapore Government revealed earlier this week that Malaysia had unilaterally extended the Johor Baru port limits on Oct 25, thereby violating sovereignty and international laws, and it strongly protested the purported move.

It also revealed that ships and vessels from Malaysia have been repeatedly intruding into Singapore’s territorial waters over the past two weeks, including vessels from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Marine Department Malaysia.

In total, 14 intrusions have occurred so far, with three Malaysian government vessels seen in Singapore's waters on Thursday.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said on Friday that his country had proposed for both sides to “cease and desist from sending assets into the disputed area” effective midnight on Saturday, pending discussions on outstanding maritime boundary issues.

Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan responded shortly later that Singapore remains ready to discuss the issue "in a constructive manner in the spirit of preserving our important bilateral relationship", but does not agree with the proposal.

Mr Chan noted on Saturday that Malaysia’s proposal for Singapore to leave the area for talks to happen was not right. 

“Malaysia is conducting unlawful activities, unauthorised activities under international law. Refusing to leave, then suggesting that Singapore vessels leave the area for talks to happen. That’s not right,” he said.

“Even the layman can see that this cannot be right. You made a claim. You sent forces in. You ask Singapore to leave as conditions to start talks. How can this be?” he added.

“Adding more ships and staying longer will not add to their claim. Using force and changing facts at sea will also not add to their claim.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also commented briefly on the maritime dispute at a press conference at his party's office in Petaling Jaya on Saturday.

Asked by TODAY why Malaysia decided to extend its Johor port limits only recently and whether the dispute will put a huge strain on bilateral relations, he replied: "Lots of people announced their borders off and on and that causes a lot of disputes. So, we will settle the dispute based on legal provisions and our rights."

On what could have triggered the current episode, Mr Chan said he did not wish to speculate on Malaysia’s domestic and bilateral considerations.

But he added: "We have seen this before. Just as in 1979, Singapore has been administrating Pedra Branca for more than 100 years, then suddenly the Malaysians published a new map unilaterally claiming Predra Branca and the waters off Tuas. No consultation. No discussion."

He noted that the claim set off a dispute that lasted decades.

"Military forces were deployed facing off each other. We were brought up in that generation. We went to the ICJ (International Court of Justice) and even then we did not fully settle the issue," he said. 

"Even as we speak today we are still managing the issue. It has become a blemish in our bilateral ties. Fast forward to 2018, just as we are working on a fresh start with the new Malaysian government, we find the pattern being repeated." 

In May 2008, the ICJ ruled Pedra Branca, which sits at the entrance to the Singapore Strait about 30km east of the Republic, to be Singapore territory. Despite ICJ's ruling, Malaysia filed two applications last year challenging the court's ruling to award Pedra Branca to Singapore.

It withdrew the challenges in May.

On how both countries can move forward on the latest maritime dispute, Mr Chan said he believes Malaysians and Malaysia's government have a choice.

“Do we want to move forward constructively to prosper thy neighbour or do we want to colour a new generation with beggar thy neighbour policies?”

He added that since the new Pakatan Harapan government led by Dr Mahathir came into power in May, he has met many younger Malaysian leaders who expressed the hope of working closer together with Singapore.

“We all agreed that the competition is not so much between Malaysia and Singapore, as between us and the rest of the world,” said Mr Chan.

“I hope their actions will match their words, and I hope they still believe in this for us to continue working constructively so that we don’t have to expend our energies managing this unnecessary, unhelpful and unproductive activities.”

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FARIS MOKHTAR IN PETALING JAYA.