Singapore To Suspend New Landing Procedures For Seletar Airport

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Malaysia's Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah (left) met his Singapore counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan in Singapore on Jan 8, 2019, to discuss recent bilateral disputes. - ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOOSINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to "immediately simultaneously" suspend Malaysia's permanent restricted area over Pasir Gudang as well as new landing procedures for Seletar Airport for at least a month.

In the meantime, the transport ministers from both countries should meet soon for discussions "to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation", both countries said in a joint statement on Tuesday (Jan 8)
This means that non-military flights from any country would need prior approval from the Malaysian Air Force to operate in that zone between 2,000ft and 5,000ft.
Singapore is concerned that the restricted area being in a "controlled and congested airspace" would impact the existing and normal operations of aircraft transiting through, the Transport Ministry said last week.

The provision of air traffic services for the airspace over southern Johor had been delegated by Malaysia to Singapore in 1974. Malaysia is now asking for the airspace to be returned
At sea, Kuala Lumpur had on Oct 25 unilaterally extended the port limits for Johor Baru port, such that they encroach into Singapore's territorial waters off Tuas.

As a result, Malaysian government vessels strayed into Singapore's waters, and 14 incursions had been recorded between Nov 24 and Dec 5.

The new boundary line extends beyond what Malaysia had previously claimed as its own waters in a 1979 map, which Singapore has not accepted.

Singapore on Dec 6 extended its own port limits in response, to cover the full extent of the Republic's territorial waters. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network

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