KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian did not violate Singapore’s territorial integrity during his visit to a Malaysian vessel on Jan 9.
Although Dr Mahathir admitted that Osman’s visit to the MV Pedoman off Johor Baru Port was made without the permission of the federal government, he said he is surprised by the hullaballoo which has sprung up over the incident.
“The reaction to (Osman’s trip) is quite severe… as if he were going to war. He was going to a ship in neutral waters,” the prime minister said to a question from the floor after delivering a talk at the Oxford Union which was broadcast live by Astro Awani from London, early today.
When an audience member insisted that Osman had trespassed into Singapore’s territorial waters, Dr Mahathir rebutted him.
“It is not Singapore waters either. It is international waters and the Menteri Besar can go into international waters without Singapore sending warships to chase him away,” he said.
The Malaysian Foreign Ministry yesterday said it attempted to stop Osman from making the visit, which Singapore claimed resulted in Osman encroaching into its territory.
Osman has denied that he made an incursion into Singapore and insisted that his visit to the MV Pedoman was to watch Malaysia’s security teams doing their job.
Singapore made a protest over the incident through a diplomatic note to Wisma Putra dated Jan 11; and also sought the postponement of the 14th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia (JMCIM) which was scheduled for Jan 14.