dispute dispute territorial dispute singapore malaysia eastern entrance previously called malaysia dispute began largely resolved opined belonged singapore belonged malaysia early singapore lodged formal protest malaysia response map published malaysia claiming singapore proposed submitting dispute malaysia agreed singapore claimed nearby countries agreed text special agreement needed submit dispute special agreement signed february formally notified agreement july year hearing held weeks november sovereignty malaysia singapore singapore argued evidence island sovereignty event court accept argument singapore contended sovereignty island passed singapore consistent exercise authority island singapore predecessor united_kingdom actions taken included selecting site constructing lighthouse requiring malaysian officials wishing visit island obtain permits installing military station island studying feasibility land island malaysia remained silent face activities addition confirmed letter claim ownership island published official reports maps indicating regarded singapore territory regarded malaysia case original title ceded united_kingdom merely granted permission lighthouse built maintained actions united_kingdom singapore respect waters surrounding island actions island sovereign letter official reports maps issued irrelevant inconclusive court ruled singapore sovereignty belongs malaysia regards court noted falls apparently overlapping territorial waters generated mainland malaysia maritime feature visible low tide belongs state territorial waters located malaysia singapore established named maritime boundary area determine ownership dispute small granite located nautical miles east singapore nautical miles south malaysia meets maritime features near island middle rocks nautical miles south consists clusters small rocks metres apart nautical miles south south west visible low tide singapore built island predecessor united_kingdom singapore ceded treaty friendship alliance august treaty straits settlements time lighthouse island constructed straits settlements british rule government india december director published map entitled boundaries malaysia showing territorial waters singapore rejected claim diplomatic note february asked map corrected late 1980s attorney general singapore tan prime minister singapore disclose documentary evidence singapore malaysian attorney general demonstrate strength singapore case dispute resolved exchange correspondence talks round talks february issue sovereignty raised malaysia singapore agreed submit dispute procedural matters singapore suggested submitting territorial dispute suggestion accepted malaysia text special agreement bring matter agreed agreement signed countries malaysia february notified court july case assigned sovereignty malaysia singapore following directions issued court parties exchanged memorials march counter memorials january replies november parties informed court letter dated january unnecessary written proceedings closed court determined drawing lots singapore present case public hearings held november singapore presenting case november malaysia november country given days respond november allocated singapore november allocated malaysia persons spoke parties singapore ambassador large singapore professor law acting singapore agent attorney general singapore counsel advocate chief justice singapore counsel advocate professor member chairman associate member advocate member chairman professor public international law university oxford member souls college oxford counsel advocate paris member paris counsel advocate paris member paris counsel advocate deputy prime minister minister minister law professor law counsel advocate malaysia ambassador large malaysia adviser foreign affairs prime minister malaysia agent ambassador malaysia netherlands agent attorney general malaysia counsel honorary professor international law university_of_cambridge member member member counsel jan professor public international law associate member counsel professor international law geneva associate member counsel college lecturer cambridge case presided vice president judge alongside judges hoc judges appointed countries judges madagascar venezuela united_states japan germany slovakia france new_zealand mexico morocco russia bench court include judges party parties exercised right choose judges hoc sit case singapore appointed india malaysia christopher south_africa singapore case singapore argued latin land belonging subject prior claim manifestation sovereignty sovereign entity denied malaysia claim island sovereignty contended evidence claimed exercised authority period began fall portuguese continued harass time similarly evidence sovereignty power influence height death sultan clear heir led instability broke away according annual report government state dissolution beginning 19th century support assertion sultan sovereignty singapore contended traditional concept sovereignty based mainly control people territory reliable way determine particular territory belonged ruler find inhabitants pledged allegiance ruler difficult respect isolated malaysia provided clear evidence direct claim actual exercise sovereign authority island addition singapore claimed old controlled maritime empire capital new occupying southern tip came existence signing anglo dutch treaty united_kingdom netherlands view anglo dutch treaty divide situated new british sphere influence dutch influence instead britain netherlands access freely legal vacuum regard sovereignty island enabling british possession following death sultan sons throne united_kingdom recognised elder son based singapore rightful heir netherlands recognised younger son based indonesia year anglo dutch treaty sent letter dated june stated complete agreement spirit content treaty concluded kings netherlands great_britain donated older brother lands assigned great_britain territory extends mainland territory brother extends islands islands whatsoever sea territory brother situated mainland basis letter singapore argued donated mainland territories retained sovereignty islands sea taking ownership event court rejected argument singapore contended selection site construction lighthouse constituted taking possession island title sovereign obtained title island accordance legal principles governing acquisition territory time title maintained united_kingdom successor singapore claimed predecessor united_kingdom demonstrated consistent exercise authority island acts instance ceremony laying foundation stone lighthouse described singapore presence governor straits settlements senior british official singapore british foreign officials sovereignty widely reported local newspapers drew response authorities significant acts included following singapore investigated waters island exercised exclusive control use island visits island including requiring malaysian officials wishing visit island scientific surveys obtain permits displayed british singapore furthermore request malaysia remove singapore flag island malaysian sovereignty malaysia request respect allowed install military station island direction government singapore studied feasibility square metres land island project sought newspaper advertisements eventually project proceeded addition singapore occasions claimed sea territorial waters occasion july chief surveyor expressed opinion singapore claim mile limit island subsequently stated official memorandum waters miles considered singapore territorial waters malaysia acceptance singapore sovereignty singapore case years malaysia silent singapore activities exercise sovereignty state challenged singapore claims having seek approval state hearing ambassador large highlighted saying key feature case constant stream singapore acts administration relation contrasted complete absence malaysian activities territorial waters malaysia silence face state activities singapore silence malaysia significant taken mean malaysia regarded territory june singapore crown colony colonial secretary wrote british adviser sultan clarify status noted rock outside limits ceded island singapore treaty entered maintaining lighthouse built international usage doubt rights obligations colony asked document showing lease grant rock ceded government state way disposed acting state secretary replied september government claim ownership singapore contended reply confirmed singapore sovereignty island title historic colony singapore self governing state left british_empire join years later singapore fully independent republic official publication meteorological information collected malaya listed singapore station lighthouse described way joint malaysian publication year singapore left federation countries began reporting meteorological information separately malaysia ceased referring maps published malaysian surveyor general director general mapping island indicated word singapore designation island singapore sovereignty hand designation island malaysian sovereignty singapore operated lighthouse news conference attended malaysia prime minister singapore prime minister malaysian leader admitted question sovereignty clear malaysia november singapore deputy prime minister refuted malaysia claim singapore attempting status quo claiming sovereignty said singapore honest law state navigational safety security arrangements environment malaysia sought alter status quo publishing map altered maritime boundaries seven neighbouring countries evidenced telegram sent overseas missions december map affect china indonesia philippines thailand singapore vietnam entity singapore took position considered single group maritime features relied island case regards group islands possible group certain circumstances regarded law unit fate principal involve rest argued maritime features rock samples showed composed light coarse granite additionally malaysia shown exercise sovereignty reefs singapore consistently exercised sovereign authority surrounding waters sovereignty belonged singapore sovereignty territorial waters malaysia case malaysia case original title time island relevant time state malaysia united_kingdom singapore displaced sovereignty contrary singapore claimed break old new ruled came existence signing anglo dutch treaty treaty effect leaving islands south dutch sphere influence territory islands north british sphere influence new months conclusion anglo dutch treaty sultan entered treaty august article treaty stated sultan sovereignty property honourable english heirs successors situated adjacent seas straits extent geographical miles coast said main island singapore ceded singapore island vicinity british lacked title evidence united_kingdom recognised prior continuing sovereignty islands malaysia challenged singapore contention new june letter sultan showed donated territories mainland retained sovereignty islands sea malaysia submitted statement territory extends islands islands read context article anglo dutch treaty guaranteed british establishment isles islands south islands mentioned islands british agreed sphere influence lay south phrase islands letter referred islands lying dutch sphere influence letter simply formal recognition claim sovereignty title island confirmed ties loyalty existed nomadic sea people past inhabited maritime areas carrying fishing piracy visited frequently evidenced 19th century letters written british officials including dated november government surveyor singapore reported need exclude built noted frequently visit rock visits encouraged trust straits neighbouring shores islands lives taken people malaysia rejected singapore argument traditional concept sovereignty based mainly control people territory stated authority states world based combination control people territory applies state established 16th century rulers recognised commanded people allegiance controlled territory people lived actions united_kingdom singapore lighthouse operator malaysia actions united_kingdom successor singapore constructing maintaining actions operator lighthouse sovereign island time ceded island united_kingdom instead merely granted permission lighthouse built maintained captain scottish prepared charts sailing instructions china cape good hope intermediate ports died merchants felt building fitting tribute early november proposed preferred sites preference expressed time november governor straits settlements wrote sultan matter letters found english translations replies dated november exist sultan said received friend letter reply desire friend perfectly understand wishes pleased intention expressed enable traders enter leave port greater confidence responded duly received friend communication understand contents friend light house near possible objection measure pleased undertaking wish guided matters government east india company liberty light house spot deemed eligible family years derived support singapore dependence wholly hope merit protection favoured company occasions consistent days later november governor wrote secretary government india recommend lighthouse sited things said rock willingly enclosed replies received sultan nonetheless malaysia argued sultan letters amounted permission united_kingdom build operate lighthouse suitable location november malaysia agent ambassador large alleged singapore trying year old arrangement singapore operated malaysia territory suggested permitted singapore upset peace stability area island located said singapore reclaimed land apart possible effects environment navigation lead potentially changes security arrangements eastern entrance according malaysian attorney general singapore raised issue sovereignty april meeting officials saying legal evidence sovereignty island produced documents support prior sovereignty island disputed statement malaysian prime minister concerning unclear position island documents singapore prime minister claimed singapore possession statement merely friendly respectful statement visiting prime minister press conference value court meant matter required discussion countries letter secretary concerning letter september secretary informed colonial secretary singapore government claim ownership malaysia submitted colonial secretary june status showed singapore authorities conviction island territory acting state secretary definitely authorized legal capacity write letter renounce confirm title territories treaties january agreement including transferred rights power jurisdiction matters relating defence external affairs united_kingdom powers federal high commissioner appointed united_kingdom state secretary acting state secretary taken reply colonial secretary letter submitted copy chief secretary evidence chief secretary high commissioner aware contents singapore actions respect sovereign singapore exercised sovereign authority ways malaysia responded indicated investigation vicinity singapore duties investigate hazards navigational safety publish information hazards capacity lighthouse operator investigating reporting maritime hazards territorial waters singapore acted accordance best practice circumstances particular investigations meant singapore ability carry based sovereignty island display british singapore island associated maritime matters marks sovereignty singapore demonstrated sovereign intent flying british singapore incident malaysia singapore sovereignty matter domestic political sensibility larger small local population installation military communications equipment plans reclaim land malaysia alleged singapore installation military communications equipment secretly learned received singapore memorial case regards singapore plans reclaim land island malaysia said reacted documents secret meteorological reports irrelevant maps inconclusive response singapore contention respect meteorological reports published malaysia indicated singapore station malaysia said fact recognised singapore rainfall station sovereignty maps published printed word singapore beneath island inconclusive assessed differently maps contained stating considered authority international boundaries maps create title incorporated treaties inter state negotiations middle rocks belong malaysia malaysia contended single identifiable entity historical record showed maritime features formally described single island islands group islands sovereignty time anglo dutch treaty fell british sphere influence treaty malaysia exercised consistent acts sovereignty limits character instance malaysian government granted petroleum concessions extended area internal confidential document dated july entitled letter chief included charts showing malaysia territorial waters features included malaysian fisheries waters fisheries act singapore protested sovereignty advanced claims began claiming belonged controversies photograph course hearing demonstrate proximity mainland malaysia produced photograph taken hill named background november singapore produced photograph taken camera human eye sees pointed appeared smaller alleged malaysia photograph taken lens exaggerated height seven times singapore attorney general said photograph attempt convey message proximity coast accurate reflection visitors looking malaysia claimed photograph obtained online blog singapore called blog unusual noting created month earlier photograph uploaded november days oral proceedings case commenced information blogger identity november malaysia said difference photographs question perspective matter worth discussing missing letters key thrust malaysia case british received explicit permission build lighthouse proved british recognised sovereignty island submitted evidenced november letters governor written sultan construction lighthouse malaysia said written singapore asking copies letters letters existed probably singapore archives file entitled letters native rulers singapore replied singapore response copies letters archives incomplete searches archives vain furthermore letters likely malaysia possession governor sent rulers malaysia case november singapore deputy prime minister minister expressed disappointment malaysia singapore concealed letters court termed disturbing distracting malaysia mention matter november decision rendered decision held votes sovereignty belongs singapore held votes sovereignty belongs malaysia sovereignty belongs state territorial waters located originally sovereignty court agreed malaysia original title rejecting singapore argument island found disputed established sovereign state certain territorial domain southeast_asia came existence known navigational hazard vital channel international navigation east west trade indian_ocean island remained local community reasonable lay general geographical scope existence old evidence competing claims islands agreed malaysia submission descriptions relationship 19th century official british reports proved sultan exercised sovereign authority islands habitat confirmed ancient original title islands including regards singapore argument traditional concept sovereignty based control people territory court observed sovereignty comprises control persons territory necessary deal point found territorial sovereignty purpose anglo dutch treaty finally settle disputes arisen united_kingdom netherlands relating territorial possessions commercial interests unlikely parties left maritime features outside spheres influence singapore contended article treaty britain agreed shall islands south islands straits fell british sphere influence included remained territorial domain new british understanding treaty confirmed letter dated march government india singapore read acquisition treaty obligations treaty concluded london march anglo dutch treaty situated north southern limits emphasis added britain position island north southern limits singapore fell sphere influence court reading anglo dutch treaty reinforced letter june sultan brother effect singapore attributed contrary malaysia submission court found britain recognised sovereignty islands article referred sultan adjacent seas straits extent geographical miles british read united_kingdom sovereignty territory sovereignty passed singapore noted certain circumstances sovereignty territory pass failure state sovereignty respond state conduct concrete display territorial sovereignty state written agreement relating court unable determine november replies sultan governor amounted place chosen site lighthouse merely permission build maintain operate lighthouse governor indicated november letter secretary government india recommend replies amounted understanding communicated sultan similarly fact britain informed decision site lighthouse seen recognition britain consent build operate longer rights island evidence court unable reach conclusion issue draw conclusions construction commissioning lighthouse stating saw events bearing issue evolving views authorities singapore sovereignty noted apart day visit followers island early june involvement project court declined accept malaysia argument singapore colonial secretary status indicated united_kingdom conviction island territory felt letter inquiry showed singapore authorities clear events occurred century earlier unsure records complete circumstances disagreed acting state secretary stated letter reply claim ownership island acted authority agreement irrelevant colonial secretary representative united_kingdom government foreign state relation time question united_kingdom having consent issuing reply assist malaysia action responding request information exercise executive authority malaysia invoked argument negotiations singapore proceedings late oral phase singapore entitled acting state secretary acted authority meaning reply clear understood sovereignty singapore authorities reason doubt island belonged united_kingdom court regarded conduct singapore investigation vicinity exclusive control visits island installation military station island proposed land malaysia correct asserting flying ensign normally manifestation sovereignty difference size recognised nonetheless weight given fact malaysia requested singapore ensign flying taken fact malaysia referred lighthouse singapore station meteorological reports omitted malaysian report favoured singapore case maps published malaysia tended confirm considered fall singapore sovereignty singapore maps respect island clear supported singapore case maps gave good indication malaysia official position matter admission finally malaysia rely maps present matter concern boundary distinct island case maps statements geographical fact particularly malaysia produced interest view court held sovereignty passed malaysia singapore sovereignty conduct united_kingdom singapore led conclude singapore gained sovereignty applied held ancient original title court held title remains malaysia successor falls apparently overlapping territorial waters generated mainland malaysia special agreement final submissions malaysia singapore asked court decide state sovereignty court mandated extent territorial waters states area question simply held low tide elevation belongs state territorial waters located reactions developments reactions malaysian foreign minister described decision creating win win situation countries forge ahead relationship deputy prime minister called judgment balanced decision malaysia partly successful territorial claims interviewed journalists singapore deputy prime minister said pleased judgment court awarded sovereignty main feature dispute singapore prime minister singapore said pleased result commented bringing dispute good way malaysia singapore resolve disagreements problems maintaining good relations malaysia day released judgment asserted territorial waters malaysia appears sovereign holder week later asked malaysian media cease word island refer decision final subject appeal june stated malaysia renewed search letter written governor sultan seeking permission build noted rules allowed case reviewed years new evidence response singapore law minister said city state wait new evidence malaysian government come malaysian members parliament urged assert sovereignty lighthouse operated singapore administration lighthouse concerns expressed near western boundary malaysia singapore assured public belongs agreement british administrators colonial singapore nonetheless malaysian agencies taken efforts stake claims islands reefs rocks features waters malaysia lose china indonesia vietnam islands eastern near indonesian border west opening june sultan pledged reclaim island takes speaking impromptu end prepared speech sultan said let reminded forget singapore belongs matter long find way island belongs said state government clearly heard sultan said elaborate september prince state sent letter claiming interests raised alleged seas surrounding hands surrendered british singapore accepting decision participating technical discussions singapore malaysian government constitutional rights responding said letter designed political mileage fully involved proceedings told everybody opinion matters foreign minister law letter late day express disappointment singapore july response questions singapore members parliament senior minister state foreign affairs stated maritime territory island included territorial sea nautical miles condemned malaysia foreign minister spirit legal structure claim unacceptable principles international law response spokesman said singapore stated claim territorial sea september reiterated claim following judgment statements clear limits singapore territorial sea overlapped claims neighbouring countries singapore negotiate countries arrive agreed accordance international law august said malaysia took view singapore entitled claim considered maritime feature meet internationally recognised criteria island land inhabited humans economic activity launch book road december chief justice commented case likely unique event history singapore unlikely singapore need seek confirmation title territory international law resolution outstanding issues malaysia singapore established named maritime boundary area determine ownership following meeting june committee agreed technical sub committee established oversee conduct joint survey works prepare way talks maritime issues area incident occurred waters provide humanitarian assistance vessels involved finally malaysian fishermen continue traditional fishing activities waters september reported joint survey works technical preparations survey provide data future discussions maritime formed meeting august decided traditional fishing activities countries continue waters nautical miles articles case concerning sovereignty critical analysis legal implications judgment issues challenges implementation malaysia singapore coastal law robert moving disputes island sovereignty decision sets stage maritime boundary law sovereignty malaysia singapore introductory note case concerning sovereignty malaysia singapore judgment coastal law sovereignty malaysia singapore archived original july study dispute influence relations singapore malaysia development southeast asian studies chinese mills state sovereignty territorial maritime disputes repercussions similarities disputes roger legal title versus promise problems private law tan case concerning sovereignty malaysia singapore singapore year book international law archived original april passing sovereignty malaysia singapore territorial dispute archived original january article law dan interpretation case southeast asian studies chinese judgment international court justice territorial disputes singapore malaysia inspirations southeast asian studies chinese news reports claim original title reproduced website november archived original january retrieved september pieces singapore case fit perfectly reproduced website november retrieved september november evidence words case turn treaties good ruling editorial reproduced december story told book scenes account year saga reproduced website books study disputed sovereignty maritime briefing vol durham international boundaries research unit isbn tommy road singapore association isbn isbn
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