S'pore, M'sia set to settle land issue in 3 months
M'sia to look at land swap proposal; toll charges at Second Link to be slashed
By CHUANG PECK MING
IN PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA
SINGAPORE and Malaysia are poised to resolve the issue of land owned by Malayan Railway in the Republic - and move forward to greater economic cooperation.
The leaders of both countries yesterday agreed to finalise a land swap proposal in three months' time in Singapore, after further study of the matter, said a joint statement issued at the end of a meeting between Prime Ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.
Presumably, M-S Pte Ltd, the company Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to set up to jointly develop the railway land, will then be able to get on with the job.
The company is to be set up by December at the latest.
At the same time, the statement said that Singapore and Malaysia will reduce their respective toll charges at the Second Link by 30 per cent, with effect from Aug 1.
'I think it's good news for Singaporeans going to Malaysia and for Malaysians coming to Singapore,' Prime Minister Lee said during a joint press conference. 'And may many more Singaporeans and Malaysians do so.'
Yesterday's talk in Mr Najib's office, in which the two leaders were accompanied by their officials, stretched over an hour. It was a follow-up to a breakthrough meeting between the two in Singapore last month, when they broke a 20-year impasse in the Points of Agreement (POA).
The POA, with the Railway land remaining the only outstanding major issue, was signed in 1990 between then Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Malaysian Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin.
It stalled over differences in interpretation and has been a big stumbling block for the two countries to advance on many areas of cooperation.
Last month, the Singapore and Malaysian leaders were all smiles when they emerged from their 'retreat' at Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore to announce they had agreed to move the existing Malaysian railway station from Tanjong Pagar to the Woodlands train checkpoint by July 2011 - and they had sorted out how the redevelopment of the railway land left behind would be dealt with.
One option mentioned by Mr Lee was to get an updated valuation of the Railway land and make an offer to Mr Najib to swap the six land parcels for land of equivalent land value in Marina South near Marina Bay Sands and/or the Ophir-Rochor area.
Mr Lee yesterday disclosed that Singapore's offer was conveyed to Mr Najib by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan a few days before the latest talks.
'So I have made the prime minister a proposal laying out several variations for the prime minister (Mr Najib) to choose from,' Mr Lee said of yesterday's meeting. 'He raised some issues which we are discussing. But as the prime minister said - and we have put in our statement - we aim to settle this matter within three months.'
Added his Malaysian counterpart: 'Our position would still be to look at the land swap, the parcels of land with respect to Marina South and Ophir-Rochor, the details of which will be considered and we will convey to the Singapore government in due course within the three-month timeframe.'
Mr Najib said Malaysia is still keen on joint development of the land with Singapore.
Mr Lee, while indicating that Singapore understands Malaysia's need 'to think it over further' - this is a major decision, he noted - also suggested that Singapore may still make adjustments to its proposal.
'Singapore will take back the comments which Malaysia has made and we will consider them,' he said.
The matter should be settled soon because 'it is something we want to clear expeditiously', Mr Lee said. 'Three months means the end of September. It will be soon after Hari Raya Aidilfitri. So I think that is a good moment to have a final settlement of this matter.'
He also said other issues like the use of air space and Central Provide Fund money of Malaysian workers will be considered in due course.
'The focus of this meeting has been on the POA because that's something which we both decided on as a priority,' Mr Lee said. ' The other matters we will resolve progressively one by one.'
Copyright © 2010 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.
Meeting of minds: Accompanied by their officials, Mr Lee (left) has discussions with Mr Najib for over an hour
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