SINGAPORE, March 2 — Singapore should not let any single issue affect its ties with Malaysia and Indonesia, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, citing Putrajaya’s challenge on a court ruling on Pedra Branca as an example.

“Our relations will always be complex, and issues will inevitably surface from time to time. When they do …have a sense of perspective, and don’t let a single issue derail the overall relationship,” said Dr Balakrishnan during his ministry’s Committee of Supply debate in Parliament yesterday.

Responding to a question by Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Family and Social Development on whether the Pedra Branca case would affect bilateral ties, Dr Balakrishan added:  “The most important point is this, when we have a difference, we seek peaceful resolutions according to international law.”

The Minister also reminded members of the House that Malaysia will soon hold its general elections and from past history, when “election rhetoric heats up”, Singapore become “part of the political fodder”.

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“On our part, we must ensure that we do not get drawn into the domestic politics (of other countries) nor will we allow the import of foreign countries’ politics into Singapore.”

The ownership of Pedra Branca has been the subject of a long-running dispute between Singapore and Malaysia. It took more than 20 years for the dispute to be brought before the International Court of Justice in July 2003. In May 2008, the court ruled Pedra Branca to be Singapore territory and that sovereignty over the Middle Rocks, a maritime feature to the south of Pedra Branca, belonged to Malaysia.

In February last year, Malaysia filed a challenge to the ruling, following what it claimed was the discovery of new facts from three documents discovered in the United Kingdom’s national archive. Four months later, Putrajaya filed another application asking the ICJ to interpret its ruling on Pedra Branca.

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Singapore has filed rebuttals to Malaysia’s challenges and said that it is confident of its case.

In his parliamentary speech, Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore’s relations with its two closest neighbours remain “of utmost importance.”

“With the right spirit of cooperation, we embark on win-win initiatives. This has strengthened bilateral ties and allowed our companies to tap on the dynamic Malaysian and Indonesian economies,” he said.

He noted that long-term projects such as the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System and the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail give both sides a greater stake in each other’s success, and demonstrate the tangible benefits of stable and positive ties.

For Indonesia, its leaders agree that partnership with Singapore is  valuable and brings mutual benefits.

“Overall, we believe in the ‘Prosper Thy Neighbour’ policy. We want Indonesia and Malaysia especially to succeed. Good for us, good for the region,” he said. — TODAY