(The Straits Times) - Malaysia has dropped 'Pulau', the Malay term for island, from its name for Pedra Branca.

The Malaysian government, which has always called the island Pulau Batu Puteh, is now calling it just Batu Puteh, reported the Chinese-language paper Oriental Daily News.

Announcing the change at a press conference earlier this week, Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said it was doing so as it considered the territory as having failed to meet the internationally recognised criteria for an island, that is, land inhabited by humans that had economic activity.

He told reporters that the Singapore Government wanted to claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around it but said this was not possible because it did not qualify as an island.

In his view, it was a mere granite outcrop devoid of vegetation, water sources and human habitation.

Dr Rais said Malaysia had considered it an island in the past, but decided to abide by international standards after the dispute over it with Singapore was referred to the the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In May, the ICJ had awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore and the Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but ruled that the South Ledge outcrop belonged to whoever owned the territorial waters it sat in.

Dr Rais said the government will set up a research centre on the South Ledge, which he claimed belonged to Malaysia because of its proximity to Middle Rocks.

He also criticised Singapore's announcement about the EEZ.

'Singapore made the announcement without consulting Malaysia. In any case, Singapore's claim of up to 12 nautical miles of territorial waters as well as an EEZ around Batu Puteh was unreasonable and contrary to international law,' Oriental Daily News quoted him as saying.

Comments (35)

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written by sjs, August 22, 2008 08:22:03

Another issue drumming fanaticism amongst the Malay population to win Permatang Pauh!

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written by binarytan, August 22, 2008 08:27:24

Sour Grape and useless gomen.

Lose is lose and could only blame yourselve for useless and idiot act on ICJ.

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written by HEADACHE, August 22, 2008 08:31:52

If Malaysia had won Batu Puteh in the ICJ decision, today it would still be a "Pulau".

Maybe Dr Rais Yatim should be just Rais Yatim. He has lost qualification as having failed to meet the internationally recognised criteria for a "Dr". He does not think and cannot function properly as a foreign minister.

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written by krepot, August 22, 2008 08:32:37

Go to war la!
Since we spent billion on warplanes and submarines,
heck! go to war!
Why? No balls ah?

Najib no balls?

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written by patriotic1994, August 22, 2008 08:38:16

吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸！Not able to eat grape say grape sour! The story during my childhood time where a wolf wanted to eat grape. But the grape was too tall that he couldn't reach. Then he convinced himself that that grape must be sour!

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written by cwy, August 22, 2008 08:47:17

He is good only in bullying the raval parties in Malaysia but loses totally in any fight with foreigners.
Resigned lah Rice Yatim!

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written by mystique, August 22, 2008 08:52:55

really GENIUS!!! hahahaha!! respect

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written by Tlau, August 22, 2008 09:05:19

He told reporters that the Singapore Government wanted to claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around it but said this was not possible because it did not qualify as an island.

In his view, it was a mere granite outcrop devoid of vegetation, water sources and human habitation.
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Singapore would have a reason to claim it as EEZ. Wait till they finalise and materialise it than we would wonder why have we not thought of that.

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written by technoboy, August 22, 2008 09:08:46

Wasting time on non-beneficial matters, go solve inflation problem and the high costs of living, etc that is affecting the rakyat, another stupid minister from UMNO taking gaji buta. Rais should go "fly kite" together with Pak Lah, not take a train ride, what good is going to come out of his ride other than publicity he gets, remember 2004 "work with me"........what happened to your promises???

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written by avj, August 22, 2008 09:21:18

Rais, you and your goons just gave away our real estate . You and your goons have failed us Malaysians and it is not the first time and it wont the last. Why don't you and your goons just fade away and let the young and capable ones with the interest of Malaysians at heart to take over. It will be the greatest service to Malaysia.

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written by qwerty, August 22, 2008 09:24:49

Hello Rais Yatim, heard of "A miss is as good as a mile?" We had a good chance at the ICJ & the Malaysian team blew it! You're not getting a second stab at the pie!

Where is your Ketuanan Melayu? Hak-Hak Melayu? Keris Panca Warisan? Uitm students? Muslim Lawyers Associations? And to quote Najib "Bath the keris with Chinese blood" Afterall this IS a serious blow to the esteemed Sultan of Johor!

Should had demanded special rights during the ICJ hearing and see if they care a hoot!!

Our national day is just around the corner & just like the majority of Malaysians, I really,really can't find any valid reasons to celebrate!!

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written by dr michael chick, August 22, 2008 09:30:18

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written by glock17, August 22, 2008 09:34:47

Some Minister says its a 'Win Win Situation"..what bollocks???

The Singaporean are laughing their asses off of such stupid Minister at charge...hell they dun need any sophisticated army to gain more of our land..they just need to concentrate on our nation political stupidity.

G17

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written by Wisdom above, August 22, 2008 09:35:19

Still want to build & " set up a research centre on the South Ledge," ?

Still want to waste Billion of Ringgit money over a few " mere granite outcrop devoid of vegetation, water sources and human habitation." ?

Suitable for a second lighthouse only.

Syabas toall Peacemakers.

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written by the1, August 22, 2008 09:52:28

Wow......a show of intelligence or the other way? I find this article funny yet PATHETIC.

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written by tokioRain, August 22, 2008 09:53:07

drop the 'Foreign Misister', drop the 'Doctor', drop the 'Tan Sri' and what do you get? Just a slow-moe country hick named Rais Jatim from rural Negri Sembilan.

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written by sydput, August 22, 2008 10:09:12

nobody cares what we call batu putih now because it does not belong to us anymore, you nit wit nimcompoop.

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written by alberttan, August 22, 2008 10:13:19

Stupidity compounded by stupidity, Malaysia will be truly 'orphaned' by the international community behaving like a spoilt child. Only in Malaysia can childish tantrums and stupid actions become foreign policies, this sorry excuse of a Foreign Minister would have been hanged for TREASON AND STUPIDITY for losing an island then calling it a rock.

Gila bodoh sombong betul, mana nak tunjuk muka Malaysia dikalangan antarabangsa!!!

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written by DXB2008, August 22, 2008 10:18:26

No man is an island, but lee kuan yew is http://1426.blogspot.com/2008/...burns.html

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written by Margeemar, August 22, 2008 10:24:12

Rais Yatim, just like Hamid Albar is a disgrace to Malaysia. Satu lagi Projek Kerajaan Barisan Nasional...More http://margeemar.blogspot.com

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written by TWOG, August 22, 2008 10:32:38

What kind of half-past six liar lawyer is that???

Just because such sophistry, such shenanigans, such disingenuosness and such mendaciousness have been regularly used within Malaysia to fool its people and get away with murder, does Rais think that the world world, and in particular, the International Court of Justice, will be taken in by such word plays?

Childish and puerile, to say the least.

For the record, the relevant Article of UNCLOS is appended below:

Article121

Regime of islands

1. An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide.

2. Except as provided for in paragraph 3, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf of an island are determined in accordance with the provisions of this Convention applicable to other land territory.

3. Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

http://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part8.htm

Note that in the ICJ judgement, Pedra Branca has been described as an island:

16. Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh is a granite island, measuring 137 m long, with an average width of 60 m and covering an area of about 8,560 sq m at low tide. It is situated at the eastern entrance of the Straits of Singapore, at the point where the Straits open up into the South China Sea. Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh is located at 1° 19' 48" N and 104° 24' 27" E.

The desciption in the ICJ ruling for Middle rocks is "two clusters of small rocks" and South Ledge "is a rock formation only visible at low-tide."

Good try, Rais. You can fool the Malaysian cabinet and the UMNO brains, but you can't fool anyone outside Malaysia. Heck, you can even fool Malaysians who are not UMNO members.

How about taking the case back to the ICJ again for clarification? Please lah, don't waste any more of the taxpayers' money.

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written by huanchoomooi, August 22, 2008 10:34:37

Krepot,

Good one, you are hilarious like YM RPK.

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written by Fist of Asia, August 22, 2008 10:37:01

Malaysia has adopted international standards?
WOW!!
I'd like to see more "International Standards" being adopted and implemented immediately. Such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Transparency, Local Government etc. the list goes on ..
Do that first rais.. then maybe we can talk abt foreign matters

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written by Rainbowseahorse, August 22, 2008 10:44:08

Just use C4 and blow up the damn island lah! That's what our present Malaysian government is good at...and can get away with it too!

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written by ladasiber, August 22, 2008 10:50:09

krepot & huanchoomooi,

Yeswe want war, but AnWAR

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written by ASK4u, August 22, 2008 10:52:26

Padan muka. Now you're feeling the pinch. Perasan lebih, send laa your imbecile representative (from AG chambers somemore) to ICJ. If you were not so arrogant and overconfidence, you could have won Pulau Batu Putih hands down. As usual, knee jerk reaction and ill preparation caused us to loose our sovereign territory. We had so many world renowed legal experts and geniuses. You could have used them. Nevermind. Just one man, one man could have turn the table around and he is non other than our venerable, most loved and revered YB MR KARPAL SINGH. But for you OMNO, 'maruah' is more important than country right. You want to safe face and in the process, M'sia lost its territory and face to Singapore. Next, it could be Pulau Pisang and later Ra*s anak Yatim piatu will also declare it as Pulau no more and just Pisang.

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written by TWOG, August 22, 2008 10:55:29

Next, it could be Pulau Pisang and later Ra*s anak Yatim piatu will also declare it as Pulau no more and just Pisang.

ASK4u - it will then be called Goreng Pisang.

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written by amoker, August 22, 2008 10:56:52

i doubt the submarine boleh jalan .. esp. for war. haha

dah kalah cakap besar.

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written by Kacang Tanah, August 22, 2008 11:06:41

krepot wrote:
Go to war la!
Since we spent billion on warplanes and submarines,

Sorry brother, warplanes and submarines semua tidak boleh jalan. For display only.

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written by TWOG, August 22, 2008 11:06:49

Looks like Singapore is not an island as it is not labelled as Pulau Singapura or Singapore Island.

Oh, I forgot, it is known as little red dot.

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written by The dragonheart, August 22, 2008 11:27:45

If Great Britain and Argentina goes to war on a land far away from both in Falklands Island... Malaysia is chicken out to Singapore even the Island taken over by Singapore is just at its toe.

From the very begining Singapore is not interested about the rocks on the Island but the 12 nautical miles of territorial waters as well as an EEZ around Batu Puteh !!!!

See how stupid Rais Yatim is???

Najib and Hishamuddin only dare to bathed Malaysian Chinese with their kris but dare not force Singapore out from capturing our territory... what a bunch of Pondans!!!

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written by JLwc, August 22, 2008 13:07:21

If its not for the extension of their EEZ, then what else?

Looks like our previous and present Foreign Ministers do not know the reasons why Singapore will go through all this trouble to claim Pulau Batu Puteh.

Little wonders why our foreign affairs are in such deep trouble.

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written by rams609, August 22, 2008 14:05:01

What's the difference between a pulau or non-pulau? It was ours and now THEIRS!

WE LOST IT because of YOU!!! Why don't you give back SEMBILAN without the NEGERI to SUMATERA BARAT Rais????? It'll a win-win situation for you anyhow.!

How dumb can we get, dumb and dumber?!

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written by tuahjebat, August 22, 2008 14:08:14

Singapore calls it EEZ because its so easy to take it from Malaysia Kais Anak Yatim. They see the granite as $$$$ as they can mined it and sell it to Malaysia. Granite bermutu tinggi keluaran Singapura..baik untuk lebuh raya tol.

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written by Nunudada, August 22, 2008 17:52:48

Can't recall the name but there is another island supposedly ours but run by Singaporeans.Don't loose this one too.

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