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Singapore suggests extending suspension of Restricted Area over Pasir Gudang, Seletar Airport landing system

SINGAPORE — Singapore has suggested extending the mutual suspension of Malaysia’s Restricted Area over Pasir Gudang and Singapore’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures at Seletar Airport. This is in order to give both countries’ officials “more discussion time to reach a win-win outcome”, Singapore's Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said on Wednesday (Jan 23).

Mr Khaw Boon Wan said that he and Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke will meet again to continue the airspace discussion after Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 5 this year.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan said that he and Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke will meet again to continue the airspace discussion after Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 5 this year.

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SINGAPORE — Singapore has suggested extending the mutual suspension of Malaysia’s Restricted Area over Pasir Gudang and Singapore’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures at Seletar Airport.

This is in order to give both countries’ officials “more discussion time to reach a win-win outcome”, Singapore's Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said on Wednesday (Jan 23).

Writing on Facebook after a “heart-to-heart discussion” with his Malaysian counterpart Anthony Loke, Mr Khaw said: “This is the third time we meet, after previous ones in Putrajaya and Bangkok last year.” He added that Mr Loke will take his suggestion to his Cabinet colleagues, and both of them will meet again to continue the airspace discussion after Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 5 this year.

Following a Jan 8 meeting between Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his Malaysian counterpart Saifuddin Abdullah, it was announced that Malaysia has suspended the permanent Restricted Area established over Pasir Gudang in Johor Baru, while Singapore has temporarily shelved the implementation of the ILS at Seletar Airport. The two ministers said then that the suspension would be in place for one month in the first instance.

The meeting between Dr Balakrishnan and Mr Saifuddin was arranged to address recent bilateral disputes over airspace and maritime boundaries. Just a day after the meeting, however, Johor Chief Minister Osman Sapian visited a Malaysian vessel which was in Singapore’s waters, drawing criticism from Singapore — which described the visit as a provocative act — as well as some Malaysian officials.

The recent disputes have seen Singapore and Malaysia’s transport agencies and officials getting involved in a public exchange of words.

In December last year, Mr Loke said that Malaysia wants to reclaim Singapore’s “delegated airspace” over Southern Johor, saying there are concerns over sovereignty and national interest.

Mr Khaw responded that Malaysia seemed to be using a “technical excuse” to change airspace arrangements in Southern Johor. This arrangement was agreed upon more than 40 years ago by both countries and other regional states, and it was approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Malaysia has protested that Singapore's plan to implement the ILS procedures at Seletar Airport will encroach into its airspace and hamper development in Pasir Gudang town.

On Jan 1, Singapore's Ministry of Transport (MOT) raised its concerns with Malaysia regarding the establishment of the permanent Restricted Area, which took effect the next day, saying that the move has an “adverse impact on civil aviation with Malaysia”.

Last month, the Singapore Government made a strong protest against Malaysia's move to expand its Johor Baru port limits into Singapore's territorial waters off Tuas, saying it violates sovereignty and international laws. Malaysia's government vessels have been repeatedly intruding Singapore's waters, and in response, Singapore extended its port limits off Tuas.

The two countries have agreed to set up a working group on the maritime dispute headed by Singapore’s Permanent Secretary (Foreign Affairs) Chee Wee Kiong and Malaysia’s foreign ministry secretary-general Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob.

The group, which will report to the countries’ foreign ministers by March, will “study and discuss the legal and operational matters in order to de-escalate the situation on the ground, and provide the basis for further discussions and negotiations”, an earlier joint statement by the two countries said.

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