By Mazwin Nik Anis

SINGAPORE: The city-state should not make unilateral decisions when it comes to Batu Puteh although the rocky outcrop officially belongs to the republic.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said it was only proper for Singapore to inform a joint technical committee, set up by the republic and Malaysia, on any decision made.

"It is only proper because the position of the rocky outcrop is too close to be requiring unilateral decision.

"I hope Singapore will inform the committee of their plans for the rocky outcrop or surrounding area as whatever is to be done on Batu Puteh and on other rocks should be discussed jointly due to their proximity," he told the Malaysian media yesterday.

In May, the International Court of Justice handed sovereignty of Batu Puteh to Singapore.

Singapore has said it aims to claim the territorial sea and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Batu Puteh.

News reports quoted Senior Minister of State Balaji Sadasivan as saying that Singapore had a territorial sea limit that extended up to a maximum of 12 nautical miles from Batu Puteh and an EEZ which was consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which Singapore was a party.

Balaji had told the Singapore Parliament that should the limit of its territorial waters or EEZ overlap with the claims of neighbouring countries, Singapore would negotiate with those countries with a view to arriving at an agreed delimitation in accordance with international law.

Dr Rais said Malaysia would bring up the matter to the joint technical committee and added that the Government would determine the extent of the suggestion later.

"This is new to us. Singapore has not brought up the matter during previous meetings and we hope to get some expert advice on this," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Rais held bilateral talks yesterday with his counterparts from Australia, India, New Zealand and Brunei on the sidelines of the Asean Ministerial Meeting.

He said discussions with Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith were on the working holiday visa for Malaysians while talks with New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters centred on FTA negotiations.