Dr Balakrishnan at Parliament speaking about the water agreement

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan warns countries dealing with the Republic to not take Singapore’s consistency, and some would say predictability, for granted.

“We will always take appropriate measures to safeguard our interests. And any country dealing with Singapore must assume that it is cost-free to embark on any adventures or antics against us. There will be consequences,” he said.

Addressing the current Singapore-Malaysia tension over territorial waters and airspace issues at the Parliament on yesterday (14 January), Dr Balakrishnan revealed that this is the reason why Singapore postponed a planned bilateral meeting between National Development Minister Lawrence Wong and Malaysian Minister for Economic Affairs Azmin Ali, as well as officials on both sides.

The Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) for the development of Iskandar Malaysia had been scheduled to meet yesterday.

However, Singapore postponed the meeting after the Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian unwelcomely visited a Malaysian vessel in Singapore’s territory on 9 January – which went against the spirit of an agreement concluded by the foreign ministers of both countries just a day earlier.

Dr Balakrishnan noted, “I hope members appreciate this fine line that I’m trying to follow- to be resolute but to be calm, to quietly but clearly protect our interests. And it doesn’t mean we do not have sharp elbows.”

The minister was replying to Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC) who, while appraising the Government for taking a calm and sensible approach to the bilateral tensions, was also worried that Malaysia’s actions were not consistent.

Sharing the same sentiment, Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) said that Singapore stays firm each time Malaysia commits a provocative act, to say “don’t do it again”.

However, will there be a time when Singapore will make it clear that any further provocation will be met with an equal reaction, he asked.

Responding to that, he stressed, “I want to clear up this confusion that they are the ones who have the licence to provoke and that we respond but without an equal and opposite response.”

He added,” Red lines are not something you draw lightly and not something which should be pronounce publicly without having carefully thought through all the consequences and without communicating those considerations clearly and unambiguously with the person you are negotiating with or the other side.”

After all, it is Singapore’s reputation for consistency and constancy that adds to its reputation of reliability and integrity.

“Sometimes, it may come across as we are boringly consistent and we seem to studiously avoid chest-thumping and other manifestations of nationalism. But I would submit that this is the appropriate posture for a small tiny nation state like Singapore,” he noted.

By remaining calm, the minister says that he can see a way forward to resolve issues.

He went on further and said,” And so long as there is a possibility, a probability of resolving it, then our current tack of making sure the situation remains calm, and that we don’t allow the situation to escalate out of hand into what I described just now as a downward spiral of measure and counter-measures, is still the appropriate thing to do.”

Upon hearing Dr Balakrishnan’s view, many netizens opine that he shouldn’t just talk about these things, but rather take an action.

Some even suggested to attack Malaysia as the Johor Menteri Besar had intruded Singapore’s waters, ignoring the spirit of agreement that the both countries share.

However, JZ Cai said that on top of all the comments that’s condemning the Minister’s action, but what solutions and suggestions can netizens provide? “This is not a dispute between 2 people but it is between 2 countries. Hope there will be an amicable solution soon,” the Facebook user said.

Subscribe
Notify of
1 Comment
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

新柔捷运有望成真?马国首相:希望能够继续推展

日前,新柔捷运系统(RTS)将期限延长至10月31日,昨日(17日)马国首相敦马表示希望能够继续推展这项计划。 他出席《2019年至2030年国家交通政策》时说道,马来西亚确实需要一些时间在落实新柔捷运。由于希盟政府在接管后,必须处理前朝政府多拖欠的数百亿令吉的欠债,才可能需要更时间做规划。 敦马也表明,若不是债务的拖累,计划可能也已经开跑了。 马新两国所同意的柔新捷运系统(RTS)搁置期限将在10月31日到期,敦马今日表示,希盟政府将会继续推展这项计划,至于隆新高铁计划则会推迟2年。 他说,马国落实柔新捷运计划方面需要一些时间,而高铁计划成本太高,政府当前没有承建的能力。 他说,由于希盟政府接管了前朝政府所拖欠的数百亿令吉的欠债,政府只能用税收来偿债。 检讨项目成本与可行性,马方六次展延 新柔捷运计划在希盟政府接管后,六次展延,其延期原因为马方需要检讨该项目的可行性与成本 该项计划原定今年动工,并于2024年12月竣工,以解决马新两国日常交通阻塞问题。若两国确定终止计划,马方亦需赔偿我国6千600万新元。 马方需为该计划承担40亿令吉(约13亿3000万新元)费用,其余60巴仙费用则由我国承担。除此之外,马方也需面对包括征地赔偿等费用,无形中加重该国政府的成本负担。 而隆新高铁计划则是将连接马来西亚首都吉隆坡和新加坡的高速铁路,除了连接吉隆坡和新加坡, 也将在布城、森美兰州、马六甲州和柔佛州设立中途站。…

本地PMET与外劳竞争 工人党四建议吁打造公平环境

工人党在五一劳工节发表声明,认为我国PMET(专业人士、经理、执行人员与技师群体)仍面临无数挑战,呼吁打造公平竞争环境,并加强社会安全网、透过冗余保险计划等,减轻本地员工和失业求职者的不安和忧虑。 该党特别提到,随着S Pass工作准证持有者,在2018年增加1万1100人后,新加坡的PMET目前面对来自外国中等技术人员的新工作竞争。“这正好和外国劳动力的总体增长相吻合,扭转了2017年的下滑趋势。” “PMET面临着无数挑战,去年被裁减的当地人中,就有76巴仙是PMET,但是其中只有63巴仙的员工能够在六个月内找到工作。年长PMET的情况更糟糕。所有被裁减的员工中,有68巴仙是40岁或以上的人士。” 目前,新加坡有超过120万名PMET员工,占了新加坡本地劳动力的一半以上。 “到了2030年,平均每三名员工中有两人是PMET。” 收入不足,难应付支出 虽然有些被裁减的PMET可能在较后寻得工作,但是他们可能学非所用,以致赚取更低薪金,并且影响了他们的生活素质。事实上,很多被裁的本地PMET无法找到适合他们的工作,最终选择驾驶Grab以赚取每月两、三千元的薪金,远低于他们原本薪金的事迹比比皆是。 “未能充分发挥所学的人们士气低落,他们工作和收入不稳定,难以支付每日支出。” 工人党提出了四个支持本地员工的建议。 “首先,国人必须能够在公平的竞争环境下,与外国人展开工作竞争。所有工作准证和S Pass工作证持有者必须接受教育证书评估,确保他们的证书是真实的。两种工作准证持有者的薪金底线限制也要更严格。”…

选前盘点第13届国会议员出席率

国会会议将在七月重启,而如今最受关注的议题,9月可能将引来选举。所以在此之前,本社认为是时候盘点一下各位议员的表现。 其中我们先来看看议员们的出席率。根据数据显示,自2016年来,共有105次的会议,而从未缺席的议员有七位,包括总理李显龙、荷兰-武吉知马集选区议员迪舒沙、义顺集选区议员黄国光、惹兰勿刹集选区议员的潘丽萍、西海岸集选区议员郑德源、丹戎巴葛集选区议员杨益财、非选区议员陈立峰。 然而,正如本社之前的报道,他们可针对特定课题出席辩论,如有事务可离开。那么议员怎样才算出席?只要议员有来到国会报到,露脸下就可被记录作已出席。例如已故建国总理李光耀,晚期一些时候只能待在国会里不到五分钟,也记录为出席。 另一方面,本社也统计出出席率最低的议员,包括通讯及新闻部长易华仁(出席87次)、内政兼律政部长尚穆根(86次)和外交部兼国防部高级政务部长孟理齐(86次),不过他们的缺席原因不得而知。 再来是武吉巴督区议员穆仁理(85次)与现任副总理兼财政部长王瑞杰(84)的缺席次数也算多,但他们缺席是情有可原的。穆仁理在2016年补选才当选,而王瑞杰则是在2016年期间,不幸遭遇中风而缺席养病。 现任总统哈丽玛自2016年担任议员出席国会49次,后来因参选总统而辞去议长以及行动党党职。该年总统选举仅保留给马来族群参加,2017年9月13日,哈莉玛成唯一的总统候选人,但只有她一人获得合格参选证书,使得哈莉玛不战而胜自动当选。 其他出席率较低的包括武吉巴督选区议员王金发,他在2016宣布辞职前出席了五次会议;以及非选区议员符标雄与叶品秀,前者出席了20次,后者则出席23次。 根据新加坡宪法,如果国会议员在未经议长许可下,连续两个月缺席国会会议,将被剥夺议员资格。 而新加坡宪法也指出,依照议事常规要通过任何修法,需有四分之一国会议员(出去议长、副议长或主持会议议员)列席。然而国会里法定人数争议的情况经常发生,如2014年7月7日,国会在通过《辐射防护法令》和《版权法》修法时,议员发现国会里法定人数不足四分之一,以国会议员出席率并不符合法定人数而延迟表决修法。 而根据本社之前的报道,议员月薪约为1万6000元、或等于一年薪酬19万2000元。相当于每出席一次会议的薪酬约为6000元。就官方说法而言, MR4初级部长年薪,乃是基本月薪+第13个月花红, 加上表现花红、年度可变花红(AVC)和国家表现花红的总和,大约为110万新元。…

Dr Mahathir plans to postpone HSR initiative in favour of improving Malaysia’s railway system

Malaysia has decided to keep their plans of a high-speed rail (HSR)…