PUTRAJAYA — In the wake of receding water levels at Linggiu Reservoir, Malaysia will supply Singapore with the share of water due to it under the 1962 agreement signed between the two countries, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak assured on Tuesday (Dec 13).

Speaking at a joint press conference after both leaders witnessed the signing of a historic bilateral agreement on the high-speed rail linking Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Mr Najib said the water issue was discussed during the annual leaders’ retreat with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Mr Najib said that while there are challenges that affect the water supply from Malaysia, including the effects of climate change, both countries have agreed to continue to work closely together to make sure Singapore gets its share of water. Mr Lee said he was happy that both countries have agreed on the importance of ensuring “reliable and adequate” water supply from Malaysia to Singapore. “I appreciate very much that Malaysia will be undertaking appropriate and timely measures to increase the yield of the Johor River,” he said.

The Johor River Barrage project — to ensure reliable water supply from the river — is in the final stages of completion and on track to be ready by March next year.

Linggiu Reservoir, which enables Singapore to reliably draw water from the Johor River, has seen water levels recede to historic lows since August last year. On its part, Singapore has supplied Johor with potable water, over several rounds in the past two years, to help Malaysia’s southernmost state cope with dry spells and pollution in the Johor River.

Water from the reservoir is released into the Johor River to prevent saltwater intrusion from the sea into the river, as salty water cannot be treated by the water plant further downstream. This enables Singapore to draw a maximum of 250 million gallons per day (equivalent to 60 per cent of Singapore’s daily water needs) from the river allowed under the 1962 water agreement between Singapore and Malaysia. In turn, the PUB is obliged to sell 5 million gallons of treated water per day to Johor.

Other topics discussed during the meeting between the two leaders included the progress made in tourism collaboration, such as a twinning initiative for Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pulau Kukup. They also touched on environmental issues, including regional cooperation on the transboundary haze pollution problem, as well as the importance of defence cooperation between the two countries in light of growing security challenges and threats.

Citing developments including the outcome of the United States Presidential Election and the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom, Mr Lee said: “We also looked at the state of the world and the uncertainties and anxieties which are currently prevalent internationally... tensions and preoccupations in various parts of the region... and we agreed that in such a circumstance, all the more our bilateral relationship must be strong.”

He added: “We should work together within ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) to strengthen (regional) cohesion to deal with the issues so that we can share each other’s burden and prosper together.”

In a joint statement, Mr Lee and Mr Najib also said both countries would like to organise a regular cultural showcase, following the success of last year’s Titian Budaya Cultural Festival in Kuala Lumpur which marked 50 years of bilateral ties. The two leaders proposed the event to be a triennial affair, starting with the leaders’ retreat in 2018. Singapore will host next year’s retreat.