
PEDRA BRANCA & MIDDLE ROCKS
- Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh: SINGAPORE (12 votes - 4 Votes)
- Middle Rocks/Terumbu Tengah: MALAYSIA (15 votes - 1 vote)
- South Ledge/Terumbu Selatan: WILL BE DECIDED SOON… (15 votes - 1 vote) (Most probably belongs to MALAYSIA considering that it’s in Malaysian territorial waters because Malaysia owns the Middle Rocks which is very close to South Ledge)
So… these long disputed islands finally has its legal owner….
I didn’t read the whole judgments yet, I will do that soon when I have time but based on the oral judgment made by the vice-president of ICJ yesterday, I conclude that the lighthouse was the culprit in this case.
If the lighthouse wasn’t there, Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh will belong to Malaysia without any doubt… exactly like Middle Rocks…
Whatever it is, CONGRATULATIONS! to Malaysia’s Legal Team from University of Cambridge and University of Leiden, you have done such a great job, although we lost Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore, but we still win Middle Rocks!
It means Singapore didn’t win 100%… and Malaysia didn’t lose 100% …. Win-win situation!
I did feel sad but not much because we still get something rather than lost everything….
At least Singapore can’t control the whole area anymore which is based on certain report, will make them militarily and economically stronger… If Malaysia didn’t bring this issue to ICJ, Singapore will continue to rule all three islands and its area because of the status quo….
So, for me, Singapore should be more sad than us….. we break their unfair status quo
Now, if Malaysians especially the press and media want to take picture of Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh area, Singapore authority can’t stop them anymore, like they proudly did before… we have rights to half of the area!
Do remember, although Middle Rocks seem to be smaller than Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, but it’s separated into two small islands as you can see in the picture above which means the area is larger than Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh…
I like to quote this one from Wikipedia.Org:
Implication of the ICJ Decision
The decision by the ICJ to award Pedra Branca to Singapore but to decide that Middle Rocks belongs to Malaysia is seen as a Pyrrhic victory. This is because the issue now turns to ownership of the surrounding territorial waters which would be hotly contested due to the close locations of both geographical features. Nevertheless, it is estimated that Malaysia has lost 13km² of territory due to the ICJ decision.
The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Dato Sri Rais Yatim, on 23 May 2008 in a live interview after the ICJ’s announcement, described the ICJ decision as a “win-win” situation. Further, he announced that a technical committee would be set up between Malaysia and Singapore to decide whether South Ledge falls within the the territorial waters of either Malaysia or Singapore.
It may be argued that the ICJ ruling construes a partial victory for Singapore given that while it affirmed its sovereignty over Pedra Branca, the ICJ decided to give Middle Rocks to Malaysia while the ownership of South Ledge is in dispute. Further, Malaysia’s continued sovereignty on Middle Rocks and the probability of continued Malaysian occupation of South Ledge means that Singapore’s maritime boundary may be limited and the latter’s territorial waters would be constrained around the immediate vicinity of Pedra Branca only.
The decision of the ICJ is final and not subject to appeal. The judgment never totally resolved the dispute for it only determined the ownership of the main islet but not where the maritime boundary is. As a response, the two countries set up a joint technical committee to enforce the judgment.
Wikipedia.Org described Singapore win as a “Pyrrhic victory” which means “a victory with devastating cost to the victor”, although they win Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, but their winning is not “a real win” because they lost Middle Rocks and most probably South Ledge as well… Singapore’s maritime boundary may be limited and the latter’s territorial waters would be constrained around the immediate vicinity of Pedra Branca only.
From a vast area of three islands, now they only have one island and the area has become smaller… WE WIN!!! This is what we call a “Pyrrhic victory”
So, to all Malaysians, think positively and you will know how lucky we are. DON’T BE SAD!!! THEY SHOULD BE SAD INSTEAD!!!
Finally, I also like to quote this one from ICJ ruling:
The court found that the Malaysian sultanate-turned province of Johor had held the original title to the island, but had taken “no action at all” regarding Singapore’s operation of a lighthouse there for more than a century.
Based on this court ruling, what Malaysians can learn? The court even confirmed that Pulau Batu Puteh historically belonged to us but because our previous generation didn’t do anything about it, it finally being taken by other people… So sad…
Ya… you know Malay people… they even once ruled the entire Malay Archipelago… now it’s a history….
Everything about this case can be obtained here: ICJ Website
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