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21 March 2002
SINGAPORE SHOULD HALT RECLAMATION WORKS PENDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Singapore's reclamation works at Pulau Tekong and Tuas have indeed stirred up stormy waters between the island republic and Malaysia. Whilst Singapore claims that the reclamation works are within the country's territory and done within its rights and in keeping with international law, Johor authorities are already feeling the adverse impacts. Reports of impacts include effects on the Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas ports as well as complaints from Johore fishermen that their livelihoods have been affected. According to local press reports, mainline vessels approaching Pasir Gudang have had near misses with barges carrying sand to the reclamation works at Pulau Tekong. Apparently, cross-currents near the Port of Tanjung Pelepas have already increased and current flows near the port of Pasir Gudang are expected to double. Further, the Johor Port Authority claims that sedimentation from the Pulau Tekong reclamation will make the deep water channel shallower and narrower within about one year. The current flow is expected to increase by up to one nautical mile per hour. All these concerns have certainly led to legitimate fears for ships that will face difficulties in navigating the channel. Even without the reclamation, the Malaysian side of the straits is reported to be too shallow, narrow and filled with obstacles such as reefs and deter navigation. One press report said that shippers had cautioned that the reclamation, which had extended some 12 nautical miles south of Pulau Tekong, is leaving only about 950m of passageway, leading to traffic congestion. This gravely compromises the safety of small vessels in particular. As for the local fishermen, they have been recent reports of fishermen spotting many sand dredgers trespassing into fishing areas to siphon sand for the reclamation works, thus affecting marine habitat and disturbing fish breeding grounds. Singapore should not dismiss these claims and concerns as being unfounded. While Singapore may be undertaking activities within her territorial boundary, she must recognize and acknowledge that her actions can have transboundary impacts, as we are dealing with a tampering of the ecosystem - in this case, the marine environment. Just as the forest fires in Indonesia have a transboundary impact on Singapore, as pollutants have no territorial boundaries and limits, so too the movement of currents and waves in the case of reclamation activities in the Johor Straits. When reclamation works bring about changes to the shoreline, physical processes such as wave and current patterns will also change. These will in turn affect the coast - erosion in areas where waves are now stronger and accretion in areas where waves are now weaker. Reclamation works can also affect the natural drainage of hinterland areas with river mouths being affected and the natural hydrology upset. Further, dumping sand into the sea can of course disturb the seafloor and affect marine ecology. Consequently, Singapore must not think that she is entitled to undertake any activity just because it is within her territorial boundary, as this does not give her the license to cause harm to her neighbour. In fact, realizing that her reclamation works can have transboundary and environmental consequences for Malaysia, she ought to have, as a matter of policy, conducted a detailed environmental and social impact assessment and consulted the Malaysian government before embarking on the works. During his recent visit to Malaysia, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was reported to have asked Malaysia to send a protest note if the reclamation works affect the deep water line or marine ecology. He said that Singapore would look into the issue if there was evidence. The Malaysian Government must take the cue and urge the Singapore Government to take appropriate measures, as the evidence is already emerging. Singapore on the other hand, should as a matter of prudence not wait for more evidence of damage. It is incumbent on the part of the Singapore authorities to halt all reclamation works immediately and undertake joint investigations with the Malaysian counterpart into the problems that have erupted and mitigate the adverse impacts. Further, it is vital for Singapore to undertake together with Malaysia, a detailed environmental and social impact assessment of the overall reclamation work that is ongoing before proceeding any futher. Singapore should adopt a precautionary approach in this regard. For after all, prevention is better than cure! SAM will be expressing our concerns separately to the Singapore Prime Minister in this regard.
S.M.Mohammed
Idris,
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