HOW ARE RISING FUEL PRICE AND BAN AFFECTING YOU?

My dear listeners ,I believe today there is among other things, a great growing concern over rising price of fuel.

As reported by Radio Australia on 27.5.08- " ... Malaysia says it will restrict sales of petrol and diesel to foreign motorists to prevent abuse of fuel subsidies.The domestic trade Minister,Shahrir Samad, says some 300 filling stations in towns bordering Singapore and Thailand will be barred from selling fuel to non-Malaysian registered vehicles from May 31 .." It was reported such a move could anger its neighbours.

BBC London on 27.5.08 also reported that "...Malaysia fuel ban on foreigners is an attempt to curb spiralling cost of government subsidies.The ban will take effect on Friday and will be lifted as soon as prices can be set at market level.The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia says , taxpayers` money is being used to subsidise petrol for those who are not entitled to receive subsidy.Foreigners should not take advantage of the subsidy scheme...and until the ban is lifted,those who break the new ruling could be fined or face a jail sentence.."

As you know,Malaysia,a non-OPEC oil producer,has some of Asia`s lowest diesel and petrol prices due to government subsidies.Malaysia says its subsidy bill could hit a record of 45 billion ringgit or $US 15.5 billion this year as crude oil prices reach record high.

Did you know while the Indonesian government has since last week raised fuel prices by nearly 30% ,Malaysian government has postphoned any fuel price hike , at least not until September or as when circumstances arise.

Given such situations, would fuel price hike be inevitable and prompt fears of widespread unrest as like in Indonesia? Would fuel ban on foreigners affect tourism and relations with Malaysia`s neighbours? Let us put our thoughts together to ponder !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Sad but True-its final !!!!!

Malaysia won half and Singapore won half..its a win-win situation for both Malaysia and Singapore.This was the judgment of the International Court of Justice on 23 May 2008 which was final and not subject to appeal.

The 12-4 decision in favour of Singapore by the ICJ was sad but true even though under the Law of the Sea which states that a country`s territorial waters stretched 12 nautical miles (22.2km) from its shores or any piece of land.

The 15-1 decision to accord the sovereignty of Middle Rocks to Malaysia was a fair and a win-win verdict.This also meant Singapore could no longer make unilateral decisions like conducting reclaimation work around Pulau Batu Putih.

As to the decision of sovereignty of South Ledge by ICJ was rather vague as South Ledge was only visible during low tide and thus could not be considered as a piece of land.

Whatever it is, the decision was final and as like in the words of the Foreign Minister of Malaysia,Datuk Seri Dr.Rais Yatim " Malaysia `s loss of Pulau Batu Putih was not due to the weakness of its argument, but due to lack of its activity there for over 100 years and the letter written by the Johor acting State Secretary to Singapore in 1953."

My dear listeners far and near before we become judgemental,let us go back 30 years down memory lanes into the chronology of the dispute over Pulau Batu Puteh .

1844 : The Sultan of Johor granted permission for the construction of the Horsburgh Lighthouse.

1851 : The lighthouse was completed.

1979 : Malaysia published a map that included Pulau Batu Putih.

Feb 14,1980 :Singapore lodged a protest note.Said maps published in 1962,1965,1975 showed it belong to Singapore

1989 :Singapore built a communication radar tower in the island

1992 :Singapore built a helipad

1993-1994 :Bilateral negotiations were held to resolve the dispute but failed

Sept.1994 :Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore agreed to refer the dispute to ICJ

April 14,1998:Malaysia and Singapore agreed to sign a Special Agreement which included Middle Rock and South Ledge for adjudication by the ICJ

Feb 6, 2003:Special Agreement finally signed at Wisma Putra.Both jointly submitted their disputes to ICJ in July.

Mac 2004-Nov.2005: Both submit written appeals over their disputes.

Nov6-9 2007: Public hearings at ICJ.Singapore presents its case.

Nov13-16 2007 : Malaysia presents its case.

Nov19-20 2007 : Singapore responds to Malaysia`s claims.

Nov22-23 2007 : Malaysia responds to Singapore`s claims.

May 23 2008 : Final decisions

I would like to bring forth the words of our sad Prime Minister ``There will be people who will be emotional,especially in Johor....But what is important is we have done this through available legal channel.."

The legal process was long indeed but at least for now,our Malaysian fishermen will have a larger area to fish in.The waters around Middle Rocks are abundant with fish like sagai,tenggiri and bawal.And this is what I say win-win for all.

Like what Hitler once said,`Life is like a box of chocolates,you never know what you are getting".

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23rd May 2008 - Pulau Batu Putih : Theirs or Ours??

"..My words fly up, My thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go.." - William Shakespeare

Tomorrow, the sovereignty of Pulau Batu Putih or so called Pedra Branca by the Singaporean will be decided. Last year, the hearings which took place at The Hague, Netherlands lasted for 18 days, with Singapore’s claiming its right as it ‘exercised sovereignty’ over Pedra Branca, and Malaysia - based on history, saying it belongs to the Johor Sultanate.

For a quick review, this is where the Pedra Branca lies – 40 km east of Singapore .It commands the eastern entrance of the international lanes into Singapore.An estimated 900 vessel pass through this strait everyday, making it one of the busiest sea lanes in the world. Before this, Malaysian’s fishermen fished in the waters around the area. Singapore has exercised sovereignty over the island. But in 1979, Malaysia published a map which placed Pedra Branca in its territory. In 2003, Singapore and Malaysia agreed to bring the dispute before the ICJ and to accept its decision as final.

As reported by Radio Singapore International on 12 November 2007, 2005 hrs, Singapore main argument to defend its claim over Pedra Branca is…

“…the very simple fact that it has since independence, administrative authority over the island. And since there has been no challenge or no sustained challenge to that, it would be able to rest its claim on that – the actual possession of the island and administering it says has defacto, if not legal jurisdiction over the island and now, over the past 150 years, the British and then Singapore were involved in the maintenance of the lighthouse on Pedra Branca and later added facilities such as helipad...”

As for Malaysia’s argument, as reported by Radio Corporation of Singapore on 16th November 2007

“…Malaysia says Singapore’s activities on Pedra Branca are merely those to be expected of a lighthouse operator and administrator. This was the main trust of arguments brought forward by the Malaysian team on the third day of its oral argument at the International Court of Justice…”

“...Another point Malaysia brought up was that Pedra Branca and the two outcrops of Middle Rock and the South Ledge should be seen as individual features. But Singapore argued that the three should be seen as one because of maps and navigational charts have treated them as a group. South Ledge lies within Singapore’s territorial waters…”

The 28-year old island dispute comes at a time when nations are re-looking at international sea laws and the extent of territorial waters, which was eventually extended to 12 nautical miles from shore.

Come to think about it, what is the significance of Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca) to Malaysia and Singapore at the expense of our bilateral relationship? Win or lose – let us take it coolly and let us respect the ICJ’s final decision for the sake of mankind.

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RICE LOSING PLACE ON ASIAN PLATE ??

Once again my friends from far and near,I beckon you to be still and hear what I heard and read as reported by REUTERS on 19 May 2008 -

"BEIJING-Rice prices have surged this year for many reasons,but unlike most other commodities, fast growing Chinese and Indian demand isn`t one of them.
With incomes rising in 2 countries where a third of the world population consumes about half of the world`s rice, more people are eating-rich meat and diary, or sampling new food like pasta, leaving less room on the plate of rice.

If Chinese rice demand follows the trend seen in wealthy Japan, it could fall by half in the coming decades, bringing relief in world consumers who are more anxious than ever after a near trebling in benchmark Asian rice prices this year..."

It is true that more people are making more money and are eager to try out other choices but how is this cut in consumption going to affect the long term supply outlook for this Asia`s staple.

Everybody knows about the market economics-less demand, less supply.But given the current situation when industrial development is fast encroaching on arable land, rising costs that are straining the farmers and volatile weather that threaten crops, who can do the balancing act?

My concern is whether it is beneficial if rice loses its place on Asian plate? Is eating less rice or resorting to other forms of modern food the answer to our woes?



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GOTCHA ..ARE YOU THINKING LIKE THEM????????????????????????

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KEDAH PADDY FIELD IN DILEMMA??

Be still and listen my friends, here and far. This is what I heard from Radio Singapore International, reporting on Kedah Rice Field on 14th May 2008:

"The Chief Minister of the northern Malaysian state of Kedah is clear about his immediate priority for the state - to save nearly 16,000 square metres (4,000 acres) of rice fields by relocating a major oil refinery project. For Kedah's new Chief Minister Ustaz Azizan, it is business as usual in the state despite the change of government. Besides meeting visitors to discuss investment opportunities, his top priority is to fulfill the promises made in the party's election manifesto. One of them was to move a multi-billion dollar oil refinery project, which was to have been built on rice fields, to the offshore area.

Ustaz Azizan said he would like to protect the livelihood of paddy farmers. He also wants to place greater emphasis on food security in the state and the whole of Malaysia. He said he managed to get the investors, who had already spent money on initial work, to agree to move the project to an offshore area. He added that though the cost of the mega project now has gone up from 16 billion US dollars to 25 billion US dollars, the investors have agreed to move it away from the rice fields."

Kedah is the 'rice bowl' of Malaysia. I feel its rice fields should continue to be reaped as rice field especially at this time of rice shortage problem.

Don't get me wrong, we Malaysian are not in for development or having multibillion dollars project. But it is a question of time and priority now and not a question who is holding the sticks of authority.

My inner-voice still probes - Is saying 'yes' to rice field, and 'no' to multibillion dollars project the answer to our rice shortage?? OR are we protecting or jeopardising the likelihood of out paddy farmers??

Another good news I heard from Radio Thailand International on 8th May 2008, and Radio Singapore International on 10th May 2008 that says the PM of Thiland has agreed to sell 500,000 tons of rice to Malaysia (we have already received 200,000 tons, another 300,000 will be delivered soon). This helps to stabilize our rice stock and is a relief to us - Malaysian.

Bravo to our Thai neighbours!

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