A PLANNED meeting between Malaysia and Singapore will continue to take place despite the island-state’s decision to postpone the 14th Malaysia-Singapore Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia (JMCIM) scheduled for January 14.

Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement today that Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali will be leading a Malaysian delegation to Singapore and will discuss other bilateral issues.

Azmin will be meeting Singapore National Development Minister Lawrence Wong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during his visit.

“This demonstrates that ties between the two countries remain strong.

“The meeting will form the next positive step forward after the fruitful bilateral meeting held between the ministers of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia and Singapore on January 8, 2019.

“Currently, both foreign ministers are in communication and agreed that both sides should remain calm and not sensationalise the matter,” said the statement.

The Foreign Ministry is also confident that the current momentum of engagement between Malaysia and Singapore would continue.

It reiterated its commitment to strengthen bilateral relations with Singapore based on equality and mutual respect.

Singapore yesterday announced the postponement of the JMCIM on January 14 following the “intrusion” of Johor menteri besar into the island-state’s waters.

“The intrusion by Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian into Singapore territorial waters off Tuas on January 9, 2019 made the 14th JMCIM meeting untenable.

“Singapore, therefore, proposed to postpone the JMCIM meeting, and Malaysia agreed,” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Osman made a visit to Malaysian government vessel Pedoman, which the republic claims was in Singapore territorial waters. Osman also posted photos on Facebook showing his visit on board the vessel.

Malaysia and Singapore are in the midst of maritime and air border row at the moment.

Singapore claimed that Malaysian government vessels have made repeated incursions into Singapore territorial waters in recent months.

This was after Malaysia had extended the Johor Baru port limits in October, encroaching into Singapore territorial waters off Tuas.

Malaysia, however, claims it is within its right to extend the port limits, and that the Malaysian vessels are inside its territory.

Osman, meanwhile, had insisted he did not trespass into Singapore waters last Wednesday.

He said he was there to just watch Malaysia’s security team doing its job. Osman said his visit to the MV Pedoman vessel was also not meant as a provocation, as the Foreign Ministry was aware about it.

The Malaysian Foreign Ministry in its statement today also stated that Osman had visited “Johor Baru port in Malaysian territorial waters”. – January 13, 2019.