Malaysia-Singapore talks on right to review water price will resume after COVID-19 pandemic: Putrajaya
KUALA LUMPUR: Talks between Malaysia and Singapore on the right to review the price of raw water will resume once the COVID-19 pandemic situation in both countries has "recovered completely", Malaysia's Minister of Environment and Water Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Human said on Tuesday (Sep 21).
In a written reply to a parliamentary question filed past Kuala Langat Member of Parliament Xaiver Jayakumar on what steps Putrajaya was taking to resolve the outcome, the minister said: "The water result betwixt Malaysia and Singapore involves bilateral diplomatic relations betwixt the two countries."
"Therefore, this thing is being coordinated by the Ministry of Strange Affairs," he added.
"Still, Malaysia's opinion on the upshot to review water prices is very clear and consistent, in which Malaysia has and retains the right to revise the toll of raw water it sells to Singapore equally stipulated under the 1962 Johor River Water Understanding."
Mr Tuan Ibrahim also noted that both countries have been holding discussions on the issue since July 2018. He said officials had met on December 2, 2019 and January 30, 2020, to "discuss emerging issues relating to reviewing the price of raw water".
"Negotiations between the 2 governments on revising the price of water under the 1962 Johor River Water Agreement temporarily stopped due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions and negotiations volition resume after the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Malaysia and Singapore accept recovered completely," he added.
Responding to CNA'southward queries, Singapore'southward Ministry of Foreign Diplomacy (MFA) said on Sep 23 that Singapore's longstanding position is that Malaysia has lost the correct to review the toll of water under the 1962 Water Agreement.
"Malaysia cannot unilaterally revise the cost of water. Our legal position remains unchanged," an MFA spokesperson said.
"Nevertheless, in the spirit of bilateral cooperation, only without prejudice to our position that Malaysia has lost the right to review, nosotros accept been willing to mind to and discuss Malaysia'southward proposals, on the basis that there must be a balance of benefits for both sides."
The spokesperson added that it has been made clear to Malaysia that whatsoever review of the price of raw water sold to Singapore will too hateful a review of the price of treated water sold to Johor.
"Both sides must also discuss the yield and the quality of the water from the Johor River, and so equally to ensure that Singapore tin continue to depict our entitlement of 250 mgd of raw water under the 1962 Water Agreement, for the remaining forty years of the 1962 Water Agreement," the spokesperson said.
The 1962 H2o Agreement, which expires in 2061, entitles Singapore to describe upward to 250 million gallons a solar day (mgd) of water from the Johor River.
Singapore pays 3 sen per one thousand gallons of raw water and sells treated water dorsum to Johor at 50 sen per thousand gallons, a fraction of the cost of treating the water.
Johor is entitled to a daily supply of treated water of upwards to 2 per cent or v mgd of the water supplied to Singapore. In practice, however, Singapore has been supplying 16 mgd of treated water to Johor at its request.
During a meeting between Prime Government minister Lee Hsien Loong and and then Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad on Nov 12, 2018, both sides had expressed their differing views on the correct to review the price of water under the understanding.
On Mar 12, 2019, then Malaysian strange minister Saifuddin Abdullah said that Malaysia will seek international arbitration if Singapore does non renegotiate the 1962 H2o Agreement.
He added that before Putrajaya escalates the issue, information technology first needs to ensure that Johor state has ample water supply, in an effort to stop relying on Singapore for treated water.
A day subsequently, Singapore'south MFA said that Singapore has been "clear and consistent" in its position that Malaysia has lost the right to review the cost of water nether the 1962 Water Understanding.
On Mar 14, 2019, Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Mr Saifuddin said during a press briefing that the attorneys-general of both sides volition continue discussions to "improve empathise each other's position" on the right to review the price of h2o.
Dr Balakrishnan said at that time: "Both sides have differing views on the correct to review the price of water ... Both of us have agreed that the attorneys-general of Malaysia and Singapore will go on their discussions to amend understand each other's position on the right to review the price of water."
He told Singapore media after that day that at that place has been no understanding made on the correct to review the water price.
"There is just agreement to sit down, to explain, discuss and to appreciate each other's respective positions," Dr Balakrishnan said.
On his part, Mr Saifuddin said during the printing conference that the discussions between the two attorneys-general will be "with a view of finding an amicable way forward".
"We also reaffirm our commitment to resolve bilateral issues in a constructive fashion and encourage ongoing diplomatic efforts to find amicable solutions for our mutual interest. This is of course in preserving the vital relationship between both countries and improving bilateral ties on the footing of equality and mutual respect," he said.
"That is the underlying spirit of all of the discussions that nosotros take had in the past and we will be having (in future)."
Mr Saifuddin was Malaysia's strange government minister during the Pakatan Harapan administration under Dr Mahathir. He served equally Government minister of Communications and Multimedia nether Mr Muhyiddin Yassin's administration before being reappointed as Minister of Foreign Diplomacy under current prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
In March 2020, Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore has been willing to listen to and discuss Malaysia'southward proposals on the 1962 Water Understanding on the basis of mutual do good, while maintaining its legal position that Malaysia has lost the right to unilaterally revise the price of water.
Dr Balakrishnan said at that time that he had held meetings with Mr Saifuddin in Dec 2022 and Jan 2020.
"Nosotros have made it articulate to Malaysia that any review of the toll of raw water sold to Singapore will likewise mean a review of the price of treated water sold to Johor," he said.
He added and then: "Both sides must also discuss the yield and quality of the h2o from the Johor River, then every bit to ensure that Singapore tin can go along to draw our entitlement of 250 million gallons per day of raw h2o nether the 1962 H2o Agreement, for the remaining 41 years of the Water Agreement."
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-singapore-talks-right-review-water-price-after-covid-19-293936
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