Kuala Lumpur, 25 November 2021 (TDI): Ninth Meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Technical Committee (MSJTC) was convened virtually. Malaysia was represented by Tan Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yakoob, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign affairs. Whilst Chee Wee Kiong, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented Singapore.
At the conclusion of the meeting, a joint statement by the Foreign Miniter of Malaysia, Saifuddin Abdullah, and Foreign Minister of Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan, was released.
Agenda of the Ninth Meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Technical Committee
The agenda of the meeting was to discuss the implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Judgment on Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks, and South Ledge.
The two sides deliberated upon issues arising from the ICJ Judgment. The judgment is on the case of the issue of sovereignty over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks, and South Ledge islands.
Joint Press Statement: Ninth Meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Technical Committee on the Implementation of the ICJ Judgement on Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge pic.twitter.com/l25yQrSZNs
— Wisma Putra (@MalaysiaMFA) November 25, 2021
During the meeting, the two sides endorsed the Terms of References (TORs) for Sub-Committee on the Maritime Boundary Delimitation of the aforementioned territories.
A consensus was achieved on the continuation of work by the Sub-Committee in accordance with the TORs. Both parties are committed to amicably resolving the issues pertaining to maritime boundaries. The 10 MSJTC will be hosted by Malaysia.
Pedra Branca is a small island, located in the Southern Ocean, off the southern coast of Tasmania, Australia. To the south of Pedra Branca are two maritime features; Middle Rocks and South Ledge.
Middle Rocks consists of two clusters of rocks while the South Ledge is a low-tide elevation. The three islands are disputed territories between Singapore and Malaysia.
