Nasi Lemak & Nescafe Tarik

THE ART OF WAR

From NST Online. 

SINGAPORE wants to claim a territorial sea and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Pedra Branca — going back on its word to discuss with Malaysia territorial issues and activities around the rocky outcrop .

I expected something like this will happen. And honestly I could understand Singapore’s action . Its logical thinking to capitalize on a presented opportunity, what more if it were given on a silver platter.

The sad thing is, why is that we dont at least think like them. Middle Rock was declared ours, why then we cannot also claim the the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone around it? The answer lies within this next paragraph.

“It is believed that the committee will also have to agree on whether the three features are merely rocks or islands. This is because an island, defined as being able to support habitation and sustain economic life, can claim its own territorial seas and EEZ, whereas other marine features can only claim territorial sea.”

Seriously, do we honestly think Singapore will agree to declare Pedra Branca only as a marine feature and not an island? We can set up hundreds of joint committee, but looking back at the history of negotiations (water, The Tambak Johor, The Bridge, etc) with Singapore, I dont think they will agree to that. And try as we might, Middle Rock will never be an island, and we can forget about claiming an EEZ around it.

The thing is this, in my humble opinion, in whatever negotiations, we cant afford to think the other side is going to follow the rules of the game. There should be no we-trust-you feelings involved. Agreeing  to set up a joint technical committee does not guarantee the other party not to come up with their own conclusions and decisions. We should play hardball as well.

One of the proposal after the ICJ judgement is to link the Middle Rock and the South Ledge together. Why do we have to wait? Just do it. If we need to build an artificial island to stake our claim for EEZ, just do that too. (Seriously, if its the other way around, I am sure we would see Singapore dumping sands around Middle Rock for land reclaiming). And if there is objection from them, we can always negotiate later. After all, this is exactly what they are doing by claiming the EEZ around Pedra Branca.

The Malaysian FM was reported saying `Its a win-win situation’ after the ICJ judgement. I wonder who’s losing now?

Dah terantuk baru nak tengadah.

ooooooooooOOoooooooooo

July 22, Malaysian Insider;

The former deputy prime minister spoke to diplomats at the PKR head office in Tropicana to clear his name over fresh allegations of sodomy, a repeat of events 10 years ago that stopped him from succeeding former mentor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

July 23, Malaysian Insider

A day after the former deputy prime minister briefed 38 foreign diplomats on the alleged conspiracy by the government to scuttle his political comeback, the Abdullah administration struck back. The Home Ministry gave a briefing on the sodomy case to 96 diplomats.

Again, why cant they think of doing it first? Cant anybody in the Government at least anticipate what would happen?

After all, I am sure it would not be difficult for the Home Ministry to anticipate such things. Compare that to the fact which they acted on intelligence sources and made us suffer with the traffic jam by putting up roadblocks and barb wires all around KL a few weeks back.

Dah terantuk baru nak tengadah.

ooooooooooOOoooooooooo

 What la, never read Sun Tzu’s Art of War, huh?