WHEREIN SITS STATE IDENTITY?
The recent decision by the International Court of Justice based in the Hague, Netherlands to award Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Putih) to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia and the sovereignty of Southern Ledge to be determined by a new maritime boundary after future negotiations between the two countries, has evoked a range of response from all quarters both near and far.
Officially Malaysia has regarded the decision as a win-win solution to the disputed claims. Some have blamed the Rulers of Johore in the late 1850s for not rightfully staking its claim to the islands earlier. For others it has been a question of doing too little too late.
Whatever the case should have been, no amount of blame can put the clock back. Whatever is to be done for the future is more challenging. Malaysia has to realise that it is a maritime nation and as such it has now to take stock of all its maritime jurisdictions over the multiplicity of islands, rocks, shoals and ledges in and around the Peninsula and the waters of Sabah and Sarawak. It has to review the New Map of 1979 that indeed has been a very good attempt to map out a maritime boundary for the country.
Our priority must now be to stake claims wherever we think and believe we have a right to do so. Pro-activism is called for in such matters lest we stand to lose more than we could bargain for in the long run. We have to play by the rules of the game. We occupy, build and register our presence to show we are the owners of future islands, rocks and ledges in the seas around us. If necessary we have to show our flag and our army in these places. Only in such ways can our claims be recognized later when the time comes for such to be adjudicated by the international community.
Malaysia's diplomatic machine must now be moved to track down all manner of future claims and counterclaims on all maritime jurisdictions in the region. The ASEAN Secretariat needs to establish a Maritime Division to monitor such claims as these are going to be the sources of future conflicts between the member countries.
Finally for Malaysians we must be made to realize that a deeper knowledge of the history and geography of the maritime part of Southeast Asia still matters. Like Singapore we must be seen to do our homework first, before starting negotiations on future islands, rocks and ledges in the vicinity of our country.
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