Pedra Branca
The buzz in Malaysia
Disappointment appears to be largely directed at the KL government, rather than at Singapore. Littlespeck-compiled.
May 24, 2008

By Borneo Tip.
Well, today the ICJ (International Court of Justice) has made it clear that Pulau Batu Puteh belongs to Singapore. It has always been theirs anyway.
Ask any mariners who ply Malacca Straits on a regular basic, they will always regards the Island belongs to Singapore.
For mariners, they always called it Horsburgh. Even in BA (British Admiralty) Chart number 2403 says the island belongs to Singapore
See how Singapore has built a spectacular structure on this island with impressive facilities.
There is even a joke by some mariners that if the lighthouse is to be operated by Malaysian Government, the light will not be operational and the structure badly maintained. Somehow, I do believe in that joke.
Horsburgh hold significant value for the shipping community.
It is an important landmark and it is essential the lighthouse to be operational at all time.
It also hold key to the security of the ships as pirates will most likely to attack ships after Horsburgh into South China Sea.
With Singapore continues to manage the island, one can be assured it will be well maintained and security around the area be assured.

http://borneotip.blogspot.com/2008/05/pulau-batu-puteh-aka-horsburgh.html

Goodbye Pulau Batu Putih
By Rocky's bru
We lost.
Pulau Batu Putih is now officially Pedra Branca even though both names mean White Rock. That's how the ICJ in the Hague ruled.
Sorry Malaysia, and hard luck to the team led by the Attorney-General.
Will we lose more than this rock outcrop?
I hope we'll do all that we should to ensure that we don't ever lose sovereignty over the Iskandar Development Region (IDR). - Rocky's bru

Comments (excerpts)

Anonymous said,
Several years ago, LKY addressed a closed-door international gathering of legal eagles.
It was later whispered, that when asked about the islands' Bar membership, LKY simply singled out legal department heads of the Republics' administration: That’s all the membership I would need, they are the best, and they work for the Government.
Are we surprised we lost Pulau Batu Putih...oops, I mean Pedra Branca....

Serious Boy said,
What can the leadership do? The problem started when Tun Hussen Onn was the PM and it continued to drag on till today.
When arguments couldn't end, both sides agreed to meet the World and the world decided that rock belonged to Singapore.
If the present leadership is blamed what about Mahathir who reined for 22 years? And for your information, it was a Muslim Judge who read the ICJ verdict.

A. Kadir Jasin said,
Let's see how the master spinners at the mainstream media will spin this one.
Maybe they'll tell us that Dr Mahathir sabotaged us. Or that our great negotiators deliberately did not want to win because there sea monsters on the Island.
Singapore sent senior Ministers. We sent retired civil servants and novices.
On the brighter side, we did not lose everything.
We lost the pulau but we got the rocks. So we can continue to rock-and-roll.
I am sure our leaders will still be invited to Singapore to play golf and to be wined and dined.
Singapore investors and Malaysian investors disguising as Singaporeans will buy up IDR Malaysia.
By the way, do you still remember the PM wanting to pluck the low hanging fruits in the relations with Singapore?
Wow, what a spin!

Gecko said,
Anyway, I think IDR (Iskandar, Johor) is a good project; I just don't get it why must we fight with Singapore when we can work together with them? We tried building the biggest port in the world and Singapore beat us with their efficiency, we build KLIA and they upgrade their Changi Airport into the regional hub.
We got our bio-village and Singapore pours in billions into their medical industry and their so much more advance.
Bottom line is, only the best get the job, if we continue with this (Malay) supremacy thing, soon UMNO will sell our country to foreigners. These politicians only care about their pockets.

Anonymous said,
Can't even claim this small island, which is rightfully ours.
Remember Singapore Air Force fighter jets including UAVs has been intruding our air space for decades without special announcements yet this bloody government could do nothing to stop this intrusions.
Try sending two of our military jets snooping over Singapore, I bet they will shoot it down and talk later. Hell to UMNO.

Sinatra_Z said,
So we lost Pedra Branca,
We sold water to them cheaper than we sell to our people,
We can't build a bridge,
We had to have two white elephants projects in JB,
and now we are selling south Johor to them.
I felt that we have just recently been neutered.
Where is UMNO Johor?

Anonymous said,
I wonder how is Malaysia going to maintain control over those pebbles, might as well let Singapore have them in return for some money

artchan said,
Singapore went well prepared to win with high-powered team. We went there for holiday. How does Patail's son earn his right to be there?

A new Malay said,
Just imagine, if Johor did not give away Singapore, will the Malays, who always want to act as 'Tuan', able to develop Singapore like today?
So, just look at yourselves, Malays, if the land belong to you, so what? You are unable to develop.
Would you able to develop Iskandar without investors from outside? No way.

Anonymous said,
What else did anyone expect the results to be. 7.7 km against 25.5 nautical miles and Singapore gets the island? To me it sounds like squatter rights.
Singapore squatted on the rock for 130 years, so they get to keep it, even though it is within Malaysian territorial boundaries, what f--king court decision is that.

The said,
Proximity is never a criterion for determining sovereignty. If that were so, Sabah and Sarawak should belong to Indonesia, shouldn't it? The Falkalnds Islands should belong to Argentina and not UK, shouldn't it.
Let's take this further.
Singapore should belong to Malaysia.
Malaysia should belong to Thailand. Thailand should belong to Vietnam.
Vietnam should belong to China.
So, every country south of China should be part of China and we are all one big happy family of the Middle Kingdom.

Anonymous said,
If I'm not mistaken, today we are not only losing Pulau Batu Putih but 200km wide around the island. Sad day for Malaysia!

eddy said,
Somebody talked about reclamation to be done by Singapore in future, well it could be done easily without opposition by Malaysia if they had gotten all three Rocks but since they only got one Pulau Batu Putih, Singapore could only do what it has been doing for ages and that is to maintain the lighthouse and its support structure only for now.
As any future reclamation activity at Pulau Batu Putih will surely trigger an immediate territorial infringement complaint from Malaysia due to the very close proximities of the rock outcrops.

Fairplay said,
Anonymous, what is it you have against Singapore? Please do a reality check.
Without Singaporeans shopping in JB, what do you think will be the business environment there. Just do a survey with the businesses there. Singapore has helped larger countries like China, India, Russia, Vietnam, Middle Eastern states, just to name a few, to industrialise. They routinely send their top government officials to be trained there. If China's Deng Xiao Ping see no shame or disgrace in seeking Singapore's assistance in developing Shenzen and Soochow what is Malaysia's hang-up.
Wake up please, Singapore has moved up into the world league and they do not need IDR but IDR needs Singapore.
You openly condemn your government's inefficiency and corruption, do you sincerely think this environment is conducive to foreign investments?
Investors are spoilt for choice where to put their money, Singapore including. In a globalised world there is no place for 'politics of envy'. Remember, the world is watching!

Fact of Life said,
Why can’t we be gentleman and congratulate Singapore on winning this time so that the next time round when we win a case, Singapore would also shake our hands.
It is not Singapore's fault for winning the island. it was awarded by the ICJ and both have agreed not to make a hooha over it whether win or lose. Learn to be a gentleman, please. Winning and losing is a part of life.

http://rockybru.blogspot.com/2008/05/goodbye-pulau-batu-putih.html