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MFA SPOKESPERSON’S COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA QUERIES ON THE MALAYSIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS’ PRESS RELEASE DATED 13 JANUARY 2019
13 January 2019
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In response to media queries on the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ press release dated 13 January 2019, the MFA Spokesperson said:
“Singapore sent a diplomatic note to Malaysia on 11 January 2019 to protest the unauthorised visit by Johor Menteri Besar Dato’ Osman Sapian on 9 January 2019 to Marine Department Malaysia vessel Pedoman, which was anchored illegally in Singapore Territorial Waters off Tuas.
Such a provocative act went against the spirit of the agreement reached a day earlier by Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and his Malaysian counterpart, Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, to resolve bilateral issues in a calm and constructive manner. The intrusion by the Johor Menteri Besar created an atmosphere unconducive to hold the 14th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia (JMCIM), originally scheduled on 14 January 2019, leading to Singapore’s decision to postpone the JMCIM meeting, which Malaysia had agreed to.
Nevertheless, Singapore welcomes Malaysia’s Minister of Economic Affairs Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s initiative to make a bilateral visit and his upcoming meetings with our Ministers on 13-14 January 2019.”
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
13 JANUARY 2019