Malaysia should demand for return of Singapore and Riau: Mahathir Mohamad
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| Mahathir Mohamad spoke at Aku Melayu: Survival Bermula (I'm Malay: Survival Begins) on Sunday 19 June 2022. |
Amir Hussain
Tue, 21 June 2022
Singapore belonged to Johor and should be returned to the state and Malaysia, said former two-time Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.
"We should demand not just that Pedra Branca, or Pulau Batu Puteh, be returned to us, instead we should also demand for the return of Singapore and the Riau Islands to Malaysia as Malay lands," said the 96-year-old MP for Langkawi in a speech on Sunday (19 June). His comments drew applause from his audience.
Historically, Malay lands stretched from the Isthmus of Kra in southern Thailand to the Riau Islands, according to Dr Mahathir, whose speech was uploaded online by Astro Awani.
"But today, we are left with only the peninsula... I wonder whether we will continue to own this peninsula. I am worried for the future of Malays, whether the peninsula land will also be owned by another party," he added.
The reason for this future possibility is that the Malays are poor and those who are poor cannot enforce their rights, said Dr Mahathir.
Already, half of Malaysian land is owned by foreigners, he claimed in his speech titled Melayu dan Kelangsungan Bangsa (Malays and National Continuity).
"Many Malays are not aware that their country which once used to be big has become small. And even this small country they will lose because they are poor," he added.
Dr Mahathir was speaking at the event Aku Melayu: Survival Bermula (I'm Malay: Survival Begins) in Selangor. It was organised by Kongres Survival Melayu (Congress for Malay Survival), a grouping of several NGOs.
[Malay Survival? Clear-eyed pragmatic realism? Characteristic Malay humility? Exploitative appeal to sympathy? Or provocative subtle call to action? Such a manipulative event title.]
In 2008, the International Court of Justice awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore. Malaysia applied for a review of the judgment in 2017 but withdrew the review application a year later after Dr Mahathir became prime minister for the second time.
In 2008, the International Court of Justice awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore. Malaysia applied for a review of the judgment in 2017 but withdrew the review application a year later after Dr Mahathir became prime minister for the second time.
Dr Mahathir says ‘reclaim Singapore’ remark reported out of context
Malay MailJune 23, 2022
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad clarified on Thursday (June 23) that a report of him saying Johor should reclaim Singapore and the Riau islands lacked the context to show he was mocking the idea.
On June 20, Singapore news outlet The Straits Times reported him as making the remarks in a speech the previous day [see below], which Dr Mahathir categorised as “inaccurate”.
“I am not asking Malaysia to claim the land that we had lost. I am trying to point out that we are so concerned over losing a table-size rock, Pulau Batu Puteh, but never about bigger parts of Malaysia when they were taken from us. Losing is no big deal. It was the mistake of the Johor government to deny that the rock belonged to Johor.
“Had that denial not been made, there would be no dispute now. We should be grateful that the world court awarded Pulau Ligitan and Sipadan to us. They are much more valuable than Pulau Batu Puteh — just a rock outcrop. We should be thankful that Indonesia has not disputed the award. Really, we are not grateful for our gains,” he said in a statement.
The Straits Times reported Dr Mahathir as saying Malaysia should not stop at claiming Pedra Branca, but also Singapore and the Riau islands as these were once part of the country.
In 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh) belonged to Singapore, while sovereignty over the nearby Terumbu Karang Tengah was awarded to Malaysia.
In 2017, the Malaysian government filed an application for review of the decision of the ICJ but the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government under Dr Mahathir withdrew the application before the case was scheduled to be heard on June 11, 2018.
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad clarified on Thursday (June 23) that a report of him saying Johor should reclaim Singapore and the Riau islands lacked the context to show he was mocking the idea.
On June 20, Singapore news outlet The Straits Times reported him as making the remarks in a speech the previous day [see below], which Dr Mahathir categorised as “inaccurate”.
“I am not asking Malaysia to claim the land that we had lost. I am trying to point out that we are so concerned over losing a table-size rock, Pulau Batu Puteh, but never about bigger parts of Malaysia when they were taken from us. Losing is no big deal. It was the mistake of the Johor government to deny that the rock belonged to Johor.
“Had that denial not been made, there would be no dispute now. We should be grateful that the world court awarded Pulau Ligitan and Sipadan to us. They are much more valuable than Pulau Batu Puteh — just a rock outcrop. We should be thankful that Indonesia has not disputed the award. Really, we are not grateful for our gains,” he said in a statement.
The Straits Times reported Dr Mahathir as saying Malaysia should not stop at claiming Pedra Branca, but also Singapore and the Riau islands as these were once part of the country.
In 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh) belonged to Singapore, while sovereignty over the nearby Terumbu Karang Tengah was awarded to Malaysia.
In 2017, the Malaysian government filed an application for review of the decision of the ICJ but the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government under Dr Mahathir withdrew the application before the case was scheduled to be heard on June 11, 2018.
THE MALAY MAIL
[While it is good that he clarified, his statement was characteristic of him. So, being sarcastic requires one to have a reputation for NOT saying the sarcastic remarks sincerely, or the sarcasm fails. Alternatively, if your sincere (but stupid, revanchist) remarks are mocked, you can save face by saying you were just being sarcastic. The children should be fooled!]
Ex-PM Mahathir says Malaysia should claim Singapore and Riau Islands
20 JUN 2022,
Straits Times
KUALA LUMPUR - Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has said that Singapore was once owned by Johor and the state of Johor should claim that Singapore be returned to it and to Malaysia.
"However, there is no demand whatsoever of Singapore. Instead, we show our appreciation to the leadership of this new country called Singapore," he added [mockingly?] during a speech on Sunday (June 19).
Tun Dr Mahathir also said the Malaysian government deemed it more valuable that they won control over the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan off Borneo against Indonesia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while giving up a piece of rock "the size of a table" - Pedra Branca - to Singapore.
"We should demand not just that Pedra Branca, or Pulau Batu Puteh, be given back to us, we should also demand Singapore as well as the Riau Islands, as they are Tanah Melayu (Malay land)," he added to applause from the audience. [Playing to the crowd. Vintage Mahathir.]
The 96-year-old former premier, known for his controversial remarks, was speaking on Sunday at an event in Selangor organised by several non-governmental organisations under the banner Kongres Survival Melayu (Congress for Malay Survival) and titled Aku Melayu: Survival Bermula (I am Malay: Survival Begins).
In his opening speech, which was live-streamed on social media, Dr Mahathir, who is MP for Langkawi, said that what was known as Tanah Melayu used to be extensive, stretching from the Isthmus of Kra in southern Thailand all the way to the Riau Islands, and Singapore, but is now confined to the Malay Peninsula.
"I wonder whether the Malay Peninsula will belong to someone else in the future," he said.
He also said Malaysia today is not owned by bumiputera, because many Malays remain poor and they tend to sell their land.
Urging his audience to learn from the past, he said: "If we find we were wrong, we should rectify these wrongs so that our land remains Malay land."
The ICJ had in 2002 ruled that Sipadan and Ligitan belonged to Malaysia and not Indonesia.
In 2008, the ICJ ruled that Pedra Branca belonged to Singapore, while sovereignty over nearby Middle Rocks was awarded to Malaysia.
In 2017, Malaysia applied to the ICJ to revise this judgment. But in May 2018, after Dr Mahathir became prime minister again, Malaysia announced that it would discontinue the proceedings.
KUALA LUMPUR - Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has said that Singapore was once owned by Johor and the state of Johor should claim that Singapore be returned to it and to Malaysia.
"However, there is no demand whatsoever of Singapore. Instead, we show our appreciation to the leadership of this new country called Singapore," he added [mockingly?] during a speech on Sunday (June 19).
Tun Dr Mahathir also said the Malaysian government deemed it more valuable that they won control over the islands of Sipadan and Ligitan off Borneo against Indonesia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while giving up a piece of rock "the size of a table" - Pedra Branca - to Singapore.
"We should demand not just that Pedra Branca, or Pulau Batu Puteh, be given back to us, we should also demand Singapore as well as the Riau Islands, as they are Tanah Melayu (Malay land)," he added to applause from the audience. [Playing to the crowd. Vintage Mahathir.]
The 96-year-old former premier, known for his controversial remarks, was speaking on Sunday at an event in Selangor organised by several non-governmental organisations under the banner Kongres Survival Melayu (Congress for Malay Survival) and titled Aku Melayu: Survival Bermula (I am Malay: Survival Begins).
In his opening speech, which was live-streamed on social media, Dr Mahathir, who is MP for Langkawi, said that what was known as Tanah Melayu used to be extensive, stretching from the Isthmus of Kra in southern Thailand all the way to the Riau Islands, and Singapore, but is now confined to the Malay Peninsula.
"I wonder whether the Malay Peninsula will belong to someone else in the future," he said.
He also said Malaysia today is not owned by bumiputera, because many Malays remain poor and they tend to sell their land.
Urging his audience to learn from the past, he said: "If we find we were wrong, we should rectify these wrongs so that our land remains Malay land."
The ICJ had in 2002 ruled that Sipadan and Ligitan belonged to Malaysia and not Indonesia.
In 2008, the ICJ ruled that Pedra Branca belonged to Singapore, while sovereignty over nearby Middle Rocks was awarded to Malaysia.
In 2017, Malaysia applied to the ICJ to revise this judgment. But in May 2018, after Dr Mahathir became prime minister again, Malaysia announced that it would discontinue the proceedings.
[One comment was that this was a veiled message to the Johor Sultan, or a challenge to the Johor Sultan. Their antagonism towards each other is known. Mahathir is trying to embarrass the Johor Sultanate.]
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