FOREIGN Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah has assured that Malaysia will negotiate with Singapore over the latest maritime boundary dispute.

Both countries agreed on the need for negotiations and wanted to preserve their good ties, he was quoted saying in The Star today.

“We will do the needful to settle the dispute without compromising our sovereignty,” Saifuddin said.

The location of the meeting has not been decided yet but he said Wisma Putra is in contact with the Singapore high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur and would continue the engagement.

Saifuddin said last Friday that Malaysia has sent a draft agenda for a meeting and hoped that talks could be held some time in the middle of this month.

The dispute began when Malaysia extended the boundary limits of one of its southern ports, which Singapore claimed encroached into its territorial waters off Tuas.

Singapore has lodged diplomatic protests, claiming the extension was done unilaterally, while Malaysia has maintained that the new lines are within its territorial waters.

Singapore also said between November 24 and December 5, Malaysian government vessels committed 14 intrusions into the area.

Last Thursday, Singapore extended its own port limits and reiterated its call for Malaysian ships to leave Singapore territorial waters.

Singapore’s ministers have also been taking to their Facebook accounts to warn Malaysia against intrusions and to call for calm and negotiations. 

The republic’s Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said Singapore would defend its territory and sovereignty but also wanted to continue its close ties with Malaysia.

“Malaysia is our closest neighbour. We have close people-to-people ties. Singapore seeks cooperation with Malaysia.

“I hope that Singapore and Malaysia discuss issues constructively and peacefully, in compliance with international law. This will benefit peoples of both countries.”

Singapore Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli called for “good relations and (to) resolve this issue in a peaceful and diplomatic manner”.

Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing last week said Singapore was prepared to seek recourse through an international third-party dispute settlement procedure, if bilateral negotiations failed.

In Malaysia, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad last Saturday signalled Putrajaya’s willingness to pursue negotiations. – December 10, 2018.