MALAYSIA’S acceptance of losing its rights over Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore is an example of the mutual respect needed for countries to live in peace with one another, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

Even though Malaysia still feels strongly about its rights to the disputed territory, he said is had accepted the decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the area was Singapore’s territory.

“When there is dispute, we go to the table and discuss and negotiate. If we fail, we resort to arbitration or go to the international courts of justice. 

“We abide by the decisions. Malaysia won in our overlapping claims of territory with Indonesia but lost in another with Singapore.

“All parties accepted the decision though we still feel strongly about our rights to the disputed territory that we lost,” he said in his keynote address at the 33rd Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur today.

Dr Mahathir said it is important for the member states of Asean to find a solutions by bringing their differences to the negotiation table.

“Member states do not need to agree on everything to work well together. What counts is that we share basic principles of mutual respect, cooperation, sovereign equality and common regional prosperity and well-being.”

The prime minister said that 52 years since its formation, Asean was now a thriving community in a stable and peaceful region. 

“Disputes have been managed, though a few have not been resolved,” he said, adding that it was important for the bloc’s member states to chart their respective foreign policies.

The ICJ in 2008 ruled that Pulau Batu Puteh, also known as Pedra Branca, was Singaporean territory.

A smaller rock formation called Middle Rocks, however, was awarded to Malaysia.

Malaysia had subsequently tried to have the ruling overturned and requested an interpretation of the 2008 judgement.

In June last year, Malaysia dropped its claim to Pedra Branca, notifying the ICF which then cancelled hearings that had been scheduled, leading to an end of the dispute. – June 25, 2019.