Amir Yusof Channel NewsAsia 9 Apr 19;
PUTRAJAYA: Singapore has raised with the Malaysian government its concerns about pollution in the Johor River as well as its long-term yield, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday (Apr 9), adding that it is in both countries' interests to work together to ensure sustainable water supply.
Mr Lee was speaking at a joint press conference during the leaders’ retreat alongside his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad.
He noted that just last week, Singapore's PUB waterworks at Kota Tinggi was forced to shut operations because of high ammonia levels.
The Johor River had become polluted after a reservoir at a bio-composite centre next to an oil palm refinery in Sedenak burst, causing the contaminated water to flow into the water body.
According to Malaysia media reports, about 17,000 homes in the Malaysian town of Kulai had their water supply disrupted because of the incident.
Mr Lee said that if the Johor River suffers an incident like the recent one at Kim Kim River, the effects “will be disastrous for both countries”.
In March, thousands fell ill after an illegal dumping of chemical waste into the Kim Kim River in Pasir Gudang, Johor. Many were hospitalised, including students at nearby schools. More than 100 schools were ordered shut as a result. Nine people were later arrested.
SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY WILL REDUCE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT
At the joint press conference, Mr Lee noted that Johor has built water plants on the Johor River, upstream of PUB’s waterworks at Kota Tinggi.
He said that these plants, together with PUB's Kota Tinggi water works, could possibly draw more water than the river can sustain.
There is a need to study how to meet both Johor and Singapore’s water requirements for the remainder of the Water Agreement, he added.
The 1962 Water Agreement, which expires in 2061, entitles Singapore to draw up to 250 million gallons a day (mgd) of water from the Johor River.
Singapore pays 3 sen per thousand gallons of raw water and sells treated water back to Johor at 50 sen per thousand gallons, a fraction of the cost of treating the water.
Johor is meanwhile entitled to a daily supply of treated water of up to 2 per cent or 5 mgd of the water supplied to Singapore. In practice, however, Singapore has been supplying 16 mgd of treated water to Johor at its request.
Malaysia had previously acknowledged that it chose not to ask for a review of the agreement in 1987 because it benefited from the pricing arrangement.
"It is in both countries' interests to work together to ensure sustainable water supply for both sides, which will reduce the potential for further conflict in the future," said Mr Lee.
He added: "We agreed that our two AGs (Attorney-Generals) should continue their dialogue, and understand each other's perspectives and concerns."
WATER AGREEMENT A “FUNDAMENTAL FOUNDING DOCUMENT” FOR SINGAPORE
On his part, Dr Mahathir said that resolving the longstanding issue of water price is a "priority” for his government. He noted that Putrajaya was “engaged in active negotiations” in the price review in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“Prime Minister Lee and I have agreed to find an amicable solution to this issue, including the possibility of dispute resolution through arbitration on a mutually agreed basis,” he said.
When asked during the press conference if Malaysia’s request to review the water price was reasonable, Mr Lee said he could understand why Dr Mahathir saw it as a political necessity to press hard for a review.
“But I also explained it to Dr Mahathir to see Singapore’s point of view, that this was an agreement reached among the two water authorities … in 1962, and subsequently guaranteed by the two governments … in 1965 in the Separation Agreement.”
“It is a fundamental founding document for us and we have to go according to this document," he said.
He added: “It is a basic term on which the two countries decided to manage our relationship … To be able to change that is a very high hurdle."
Mr Lee said that while he can understand Dr Mahathir’s perspective, he hoped that the latter would also be able to see Singapore’s perspective on why the water agreement is such a sacrosanct item.
“Let us try to find a way forward which enables us to talk constructively about this issue and hopefully be able to make some progress,” he said.
He reiterated that one of the items that both sides need to discuss is the security of the supply of water from Johor, including the pollution and including the yield.
Singapore needs to make sure it is is able to get the 250 million gallons, which is what is specified under the Water Agreement, he said.
Commenting on what would be a reasonable water price, Mr Lee said: “Our ministers will talk. To ask me what is a reasonable water price now is to prejudge the question.”
Source: CNA/aw
Singapore, Malaysia have to work together to ensure enough water supply from Johor River: PM Lee Hsien Loong
Royston Sim Straits Times 9 Apr 19;
PUTRAJAYA - Singapore and Malaysia have to work together to ensure the Johor River can produce sufficient water for both sides, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday (April 9).
PM Lee had told Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad about Singapore's concerns over pollution of the Johor River and its long-term yield during the annual Leaders' Retreat.
Speaking to Singapore media in the afternoon to wrap up his visit, PM Lee said: "It's a serious problem. It's an issue that we've to work at together because if there's not enough water in the Johor River, it's not only a practical problem for both sides - it's also a political problem for both sides."
He noted that some steps have already been taken, citing the Linggiu Dam built in 1991 which created a reservoir that supplements the flow of the Johor River.
"Without that, we'd be in very serious trouble today because it would not be possible for the Malaysians to be drawing water upstream of us at Kota Tinggi and still be able to sustain the operation because the river would have gone dry," he said.
PM Lee added that Malaysia had agreed to build a barrage at Kota Tinggi a few years ago so as to keep out seawater from intruding upstream and affecting Singapore's waterworks.
"That has helped but it's not enough because Johor continues to develop, their population grows, their economy grows. They want more water and we can see the difficulties coming in future and therefore we have to work at it again, which we will," he said.
PM Lee Hsien Loong on balancing national interest and maintaining friendly ties with Malaysia
A joint statement issued by PM Lee and Tun Dr Mahathir after their meeting said the leaders "noted both sides' interest to identify appropriate and timely measures, including schemes, to increase the yield of the Johor River, and to safeguard its environmental conditions and water quality", to the extent required by the 1962 Water Agreement.
PM Lee noted that Singapore and Malaysia have dealt with the immediate issues on two "spiky issues" - over maritime boundaries and airspace.
Both countries have taken steps to address the disputes, including suspending overlapping port limits. Singapore has also withdrawn Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures at Seletar Airport, while Malaysia has indefinitely suspended its Restricted Area (RA) over Pasir Gudang.
But the problems are by no means completely over, he said, noting that the exercise to delimit maritime boundaries will take some time.
On airspace, Malaysia has said it wants to take back control of the airspace over southern Johor that was delegated to Singapore. Both countries have set up a high-level committee to review the Operational Letter of Agreement between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore Area Control Centres Concerning Singapore Arrivals, Departures and Overflights 1974.
"It's a complicated matter because it involves ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), it involves other airlines. It involves a vast amount of civil aviation, there are safety issues too. So those are things to work together with them," PM Lee said.
The review has to be done with a view to ensuring the safety and efficiency of civil aviation, he added.
"We will talk to them and see what adjustments are possible. I think it is not reasonable for us to say we will not talk or we will not listen to your concerns, we have to do that," PM Lee said.
He added that the discussions will take some time.
He also said there remain opportunities to cooperate, because the expansion of civil aviation and passenger traffic has been of tremendous benefit to the whole region.
"So, you need to work together in order to realise that and unless we can provide a system which is safe, efficient, and which will meet the needs of the commercial operators, I think all sides will be losers. So, I think that we have to work together with them at the same time we've got to look after our interests."
On ties between the 4G leaders and their Malaysian counterparts in the Pakatan Harapan administration, PM Lee noted that Singapore ministers are developing links and personal ties with the new ministers.
"It's a process of getting to know one another, picking up the threads and taking the relationship forward which continues whoever is in charge on either side. It's a learning journey but it's also an opportunity to develop relations to go on to the next generation," he said.
1962 Water Agreement is 'sacrosanct'; both sides to seek amicable solution: PM Lee
Linette Lai Straits Times 9 Apr 19;
PUTRAJAYA - The 1962 Water Agreement is a "fundamental founding document" for Singapore and Malaysia and both countries have to abide by it, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday (April 9).
"It is a basic term on which the two countries decided to manage our relationships," he said. "If you look at it from that point of view, to be able to change that is a very high hurdle."
PM Lee was responding to a question from a Malaysian journalist on whether Singapore believes that Malaysia's desire to review the price of water under the 1962 Water Agreement is reasonable, and what he thought was a reasonable price.
He was at a joint press conference with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad at Perdana Putra after their Leaders' Retreat.
PM Lee said he told Dr Mahathir he can understand his perspective on the political necessity for Malaysia to press hard for a revision of the price of water.
He also explained the Republic's point of view. The 1962 agreement was guaranteed by both governments in the 1965 Separation Agreement, PM Lee noted.
"I can understand Dr Mahathir's perspective," he said. "I hope that he will be able to see Singapore's perspective, why this is such a sacrosanct item.
"Therefore, let us try to find a way forward which enables us to talk constructively about this issue, and hopefully be able to make some progress."
PM Lee added that one of the issues to be discussed by both sides is the security of Singapore's water supply from Johor, given concerns over pollution in the Johor River and its long-term yield, to make sure Singapore is able to get the 250 million gallons a day (mgd) specified under the 1962 Water Agreement.
"So on that basis, the ministers will talk. I think to ask me what is a reasonable water price now, is to prejudge the question," he said.
Under the agreement, Singapore is entitled to draw 250 mgd of raw water from Johor at three sen per 1,000 gallons. However, Johor is also entitled to buy 5 mgd of treated water from Singapore at 50 sen per 1,000 gallons, a sum the Republic says is heavily subsidised and a fraction of the true cost of treating the water. In practice, Singapore has been supplying 16 mgd of treated water at Johor's request at this price.
Malaysia's position is that a review can take place any time after 25 years since the agreement began, while Singapore has been clear and consistent in its position that Malaysia had lost the right to review the water price when it opted not to do so in 1987.
In a joint statement issued after the press conference, both prime ministers noted their countries' interest "to identify appropriate and timely measures, including schemes, to increase the yield of the Johor River, and to safeguard its environmental conditions and water quality", to the extent required by the 1962 Agreement.
The leaders also noted the differing positions of both sides on the right to review the price of water under the 1962 Agreement, and have agreed for their Attorneys-General to discuss these differing positions.
"Both sides will seek amicable solutions, including the possibility of dispute resolution through arbitration on a mutually agreed basis," they said.
PM Lee raises concerns over pollution and long-term yield of Johor water
KENNETH CHENG Today Online 9 Apr 19;
PUTRAJAYA — Raising Singapore’s concerns over pollution and long-term yield of water from Johor, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said it would be “disastrous” if the Johor River is hit by an incident on the scale of the chemical waste spill at Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang.
He was speaking on Tuesday (April 9) at a press conference to wrap up a retreat with his Malaysian counterpart, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, where he raised these concerns among other things.
Last week, the waterworks of PUB — Singapore’s national water agency — in Kota Tinggi, Johor had to be shut because of high ammonia levels, Mr Lee noted.
The pollution was traced to a burst reservoir at a bio-composite centre next to an oil-palm mill in Sedenak, Johor.
This caused ammonia-tainted water to flow into Sungai Sayong, one of the creeks supplying raw water to the Johor River.
The incident did not affect Singapore’s water supply but disrupted water supply to about 17,000 households in Kulai, Johor.
This followed the discovery of illegal dumping of toxic waste at Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang, Johor last month, which resulted in toxic fumes that have affected thousands of residents and led to about 100 schools in the area being shut down.
“If the Johor River suffers an incident like that (at) Sungai Kim Kim recently, I think it will be disastrous for both countries,” Mr Lee said.
Mr Lee said Singapore was also concerned about the long-term yield of the Johor River.
Johor has built water plants along the Johor River, upstream from PUB’s waterworks at Kota Tinggi.
“These plants combined, plus the Kota Tinggi waterworks belonging to PUB, draw from the Johor River quite possibly more water than the river can sustain,” Mr Lee said.
1962 WATER AGREEMENT “SACROSANCT”
Amid a dispute over water prices revisited by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Mr Lee said there was a need to study ways in which Johor and Singapore can meet their water needs for the remainder of the 1962 Water Agreement.
Under the agreement, Singapore can buy 250 million gallons of water a day from the Johor River, at 3 sen for every 1,000 gallons.
In return, Johor has the right to buy back a daily supply of treated water from Singapore, of up to 2 per cent of the raw water it supplied, at 50 sen for every 1,000 gallons.
“It is in both countries’ interests to work together to ensure sustainable water supply for both sides, because this will reduce the potential for conflict between the two countries,” Mr Lee said.
Malaysia and Singapore, he noted, have agreed that their foreign ministers will discuss the matter.
During the press conference, Mr Lee was asked whether Singapore views Malaysia’s requests for a revision to the water agreement as reasonable.
Malaysia has been requesting such a review after the Pakatan Harapan government took power last year, with Dr Mahathir pillorying the price of raw water sold to Singapore as “manifestly ridiculous”.
Since then, Singapore and Malaysia have expressed differing views on the right to review the water price under the 1962 agreement.
Mr Lee said that he could understand Dr Mahathir’s perspective, “why he sees a political necessity to ask, to press hard for a water price revision”, but that for Singapore, the agreement is “a sacrosanct item”.
He noted that the agreement was guaranteed by the two governments in 1965, in the Separation Agreement that led to an independent Singapore.
“So it is a fundamental founding document for us, and we have to go according to this document. It is a basic term on which the two countries decided to manage our relationships,” Mr Lee said.
“So if you look at it, from that point of view, to be able to change that, is a very high hurdle.”
He added: “Therefore, let us try to find a way forward which enables us to talk constructively about this issue and, hopefully, be able to make some progress.”
Singapore and Malaysia have agreed for their two Attorneys-General to meet to understand each country’s legal position on the issue, he noted.
On the issue of whether the price of water sold to the Republic is too low, Singapore has said that the cost of treatment is really RM2.40 for every 1,000 gallons, while Malaysia sells the treated water to Johor citizens at RM3.95 per 1,000 gallons.
Singapore has also supplied extra treated water to Johor state, at its request.
For example, between Jan 2 and 4 this year, Singapore supplied extra treated water to Johor when it needed more because its water plants experienced disruption due to pollution, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on March 1.
MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WATER ISSUE
Last month, the Malaysian state of Johor said that it may stop relying on the treated water it buys from Singapore.
Johor’s chief minister Osman Sapian said that plans are afoot for the state to treat its own water, although these are still in the early stages.
Mr Osman had said: “I would like to say that there are plans not to rely anymore on Singapore to obtain treated water that we have been buying from them all these years.”
In a statement two days later, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Johor’s plans do not affect Singapore’s position that all parties — including Johor — must honour the terms of the 1962 agreement which no party can change unilaterally.
