KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Singapore today said it had only released the relevant documents on an air navigation system for the Seletar Airport in Singapore, and did not release additional letters between Singapore and Malaysia in order to safeguard the confidentiality of the two nations’ discussions.
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) was responding to its Malaysian counterpart’s claim today that it had allegedly “selectively published” documents on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures for the Seletar Airport.
Singapore’s MOT said it had last Tuesday released the relevant correspondence to answer media queries on whether the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) had consulted its Malaysian counterpart back in December 2017 and to address Malaysia’s allegedly inaccurate claim of the matter only being brought to their attention in October 2018.
“Singapore’s view is that it would be useful for negotiations to be kept confidential to facilitate frank and constructive exchanges. This is why we have not released any other correspondence between Singapore and Malaysia on this matter.
“The Malaysia Minister for Transport, Anthony Loke, had expressed a similar view on 4 December 2018,” Singapore’s MOT said in a statement today.
“Nonetheless, we have no objection if Malaysia feels the need to release correspondence on this matter. However, we observe that the Malaysia Ministry of Transport has only mentioned its letters from October and November 2018.
“For transparency, Malaysia should ensure that all correspondence and records of discussions between Singapore and Malaysia be published, including the record of discussion of the latest meeting between the two countries on 29-30 November 2018,” it added.
Earlier today, Malaysia’s Transport Ministry thanked its Singapore counterpart for releasing some documents last Tuesday on the ILS that is at the heart of the two nations’ airspace dispute, but claimed that the disclosure of documents was allegedly “only partial and selective with the primary aim of influencing public opinion”.
Malaysia’s transport ministry said it would contact the aviation regulator directly for clarification if Singapore chooses not to publish the letters sent from October 9 to November 15.
Last Tuesday Malaysia sent a protest note to Singapore over the Seletar Airport’s proposed ILS, which would allegedly jeopardise development around Pasir Gudang in Johor due to height restrictions that must be imposed to comply with the system.
