As Dr M revives water dispute with S’pore, Malaysians get hot under the collar

SINGAPORE — Several Malaysian media outlets have jumped into the fray on the water agreement between Malaysia and Singapore, carrying letters and commentaries with a nationalist bent that analysts say is a familiar tune which has been played out over the years.

On Monday (July 2), English daily New Straits Times (NST) carried a letter arguing that Singapore's payment of three Malaysian sen (S$0.01) for 1,000 gallons of water from Johor "doesn't make sense".

The letter, written by someone with the acronym AHM, said Singapore needs to be realistic as no one can buy anything for three sen nowadays, noting that "three sen didn't make sense even in 1962, what more in 2018."

"There is cost involved in getting the water piped to Singapore. Even Malaysians pay more," said the writer.

"We are not swimming in money to subsidise Singapore, a sovereign country. It is a different story if Singapore was a poverty-stricken nation that needs the help of its neighbour to see it through another day."

The writer was reacting to an interview by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week where he said he would like to review Malaysia's 1962 Water Agreement with Singapore, criticising it as "too costly" and "manifestly ridiculous".

The Malaysian Insight news editor Julia Yeow weighed in on the issue on Monday, writing a commentary arguing that Malaysia must honour its international agreements such as the 1962 agreement as it is "a legally binding contract between two consenting nations".

Still, she argued that "there must be honour in an agreement, more so between two sovereign nations".

"If the terms of our water deal are no longer workable in this day and age, then it's only fair to request, and expect, both parties return to the negotiation table," she wrote.

In Utusan Online, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Associate Professor Azmi Hassan claimed in a commentary dated June 29 that Singapore utilises over 2,000 acres of land in Gunung Pulai and parts of Sungai Tebrau and Sungai Skudai in Johor as part of the water agreement and in turn the Republic paid the southern Malaysian state a rate of 3 sen per 1,000 gallons of water that was fixed five decades ago.

He added if Singapore still insists that this price is reasonable, then it is "not surprising" that Malaysia will "always link this issue to other outstanding issues in order to seek justice for all parties."

Analysts told TODAY these comments in the Malaysian media are not unexpected because the price of water sold to Singapore has always been a thorny issue.

"Dr Mahathir is a consummate politician and master tactician who knows full well that criticising Singapore, especially by showing that it comes at the expense of Malaysia, is a winnable formula to rally and enhance support among Malaysians, particularly the more nationalist segment of the domestic populace," said Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a fellow at the Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute. 

"But domestic public opinion is not government policy, so until the Malaysian government officially decides that they want to revise the water pricing, we should remain calm and understand that the water issue being played up within Malaysia is for domestic consumption and for nationalist reasons to shore up support for the new government." 

Dr Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman, coordinator of the Malaysia Programme at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, added that the reactions across the Causeway were "not entirely surprising given that this issue was raised by the Malaysian Prime Minister".

"Similar to previous clashes between the two sides, the Malaysian media often takes the issue to forth and have at times propound nationalistic views in support of their nation's position," he added.

Tensions between the two countries over the water issue were at their highest in the late 1990s and early 2000s, during Dr Mahathir's first term as prime minister.

In 1998, Malaysia threatened to cut water supply to Singapore in response to the latter's decision to move its immigration and customs checkpoint away from the old Tanjong Pagar railway station.

Dr Mahathir and several Malaysian politicians also alleged back then that Singapore was making "enormous profits" of up to RM700 million annually from the deal, and that the water agreements were only "an ancient piece of paper" — claiming that Malaysia can raise the price anytime it wants.

The issue dominated news headlines regularly during those years, and Malaysian opinion articles largely taking the view that the situation was unfair to Malaysia, that it had the right to ask for a price revision and that Singapore was benefiting from the existing water deal at Malaysia's expense.

"I think the water issue and other bilateral issues with Singapore do incite strong reactions from many Malaysians and Malaysian politicians have in the past use such bilateral issues for their own political mileage," Dr Nawab added.

In the wake of Dr Mahathir's latest comments last month, Singapore said the 1962 Water Agreement is "a fundamental agreement that was guaranteed by both governments in the 1965 Separation Agreement which was registered with the United Nations".

"Both sides must comply fully with all the provisions of these agreements," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added in a statement on June 25.

The NST letter writer from Ipoh, however, described Singapore's stand on the water deal as "ludicrous" and "out of place", and lauded Dr Mahathir for his firm stance on the issue.

"It's time someone told our southern neighbour to get real. Obviously, Dr Mahathir is just the right man."

The letter omitted details of the 1962 Water Agreement, including how it is legally binding and guaranteed by the Malaysian government.

Under the agreement, which expires in 2061, Singapore's national water agency PUB may draw 250 million gallons of raw water from the Johor River daily at 3 sen per thousand gallons.

In return, Johor is entitled to receive a daily supply of up to five million gallons of treated water - or 2 per cent of the water supplied to Singapore - at 50 sen per 1,000 gallons.

Singapore has said that the cost of treatment is in fact RM 2.40 per 1,000 gallons while Malaysia sells the treated water to Johor citizens at RM3.95 per 1,000 gallons.

Singapore has also been regularly supplying Johor with up to 16 million gallons of water a day.

AHM's letter, which was uploaded on the NST's Facebook page, drew similar reactions from other Malaysians.

"3 sen? As a Malaysian, even I have to pay more for my water bill. Come on Singapore. Be more realistic," wrote Ms Aubrey Tan.

"It is the right time to re-negotiate so that we paid a reasonable sum for the water that we selling to Singapore," added Mr Sri Daran Nambiar.

"It should be a win-win situation. Singapore should show some logic and come forward with some amicable solutions."

However, there are some who came to Singapore's defence.

"AHM, why did you omit one more component? How much is Singapore selling treated water back to Malaysia vis-a-vis its cost and in excess of how gallons exceeding the agreed limit set by both countries?" commented Rachel Loke.

"You either are trying to hoodwink readers for the omission or you genuinely don't know about it but want to be hero."

Dr Mustafa said that part of the problem of the Malaysian reactions is that "they are formed not on cold hard facts governed by law and conventions, but on nationalist sentiments".

"Dr Mahathir has long held a grudge against the price of water being sold to Singapore," he added.

"But personal grudges do not abrogate legally-binding agreements." AGENCIES

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