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THE HAGUE: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has begun the hearing on the sovereignty of Pedra Branca island on Tuesday. And Singapore has argued that Malaysia has no evidence to show that it owns the island.
In fact, Singapore set out to prove that Malaysia never regarded Pedra Branca as its territory.
Ambassador-at-Large Professor Tommy Koh laid out the agenda as he opened the first day of hearing at the ICJ at The Hague.
The Singapore team of over 30 members was all prepared and armed with geographical maps, which were flashed periodically inside the courtroom for the judges to see as the team pleaded the case.
"In 1979, for the first time, Malaysia published a map purporting to place Pedra Branca within the Malaysian territorial sea, giving rise to the present dispute. The dispute has been an irritant in the bilateral relations between our two countries," said Prof Koh.
Singapore argued that Pedra Branca island and its two outcrops of Middle Rocks and South Ledge rightfully belong to the Lion City.
And Professor Koh stated that Singapore owns the island and has consistently maintained and exercised its sovereignty.
One example he brought up in court was a letter written by Johor in 1953 and was sent to Singapore then. The Johor government said Pedra Branca did not belong to them in the letter.
Professor Koh said Malaysia claims that the British sought permission from Johor to build the Horsborough Lighthouse, but it never provided any evidence to support that.
Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong also spoke on the first day of the hearing. He laid out facts and evidence to show that Malaysia has portrayed an inaccurate account of the history concerning the ownership of Pedra Branca.
He cited how Malaysia had argued that Pedra Branca was actually part of the Johor Sultanate from time immemorial. He said that such argument was "no more than clutching at straws without any evidence to proof".
Attorney-General Chao Hick Tin just spoke on the geographical setting and gave background of the dispute to the judges.
He also played an audio recording of Malaysia's former prime minister Tun Hussein Onn from a news conference with Singapore's then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in May 1980. In that audio clip, Tun Hussein Onn then admitted that the question of sovereignty over Pedra Branca was not very clear to Malaysia.
Singapore's international counsel Alain Pellet also made his arguments in French as the last speaker wrapping up Tuesday’s session. He rebutted Malaysia's claim of an original historical title for Pedra Branca.
Professor Pellet will continue his arguments on Wednesday followed by the other international counsel for Singapore. - CNA/ac/ir
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