Pedra Branca, South China Sea
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| English | Pedra Branca |
| Chinese | 白礁 |
| (Pinyin | báijiāo) |
| Malay | Pulau Batu Puteh |
| Tamil | fill in |
Pedra Branca or Pulau Batu Puteh (both meaning "white rock" in Portuguese and Malay respectively) is an outcrop of rocks situated where the Singapore Strait, specifically Straits of Johor, meets the South China Sea, measuring at its longest, during low water spring tide, a mere 137 meters. It has a land area of 2,000 m². It is known as Pedra Branca in Singapore and Pulau Batu Puteh in Malaysia.
The island was recorded as early as 1583, by the Dutch voyager Johann van Linschoten, that Pedra Branca is "where ships that come and go to and from China pass in great danger and some are left upon it". The rocks get their name from years of accumulated bird droppings which hardened upon the rock.
The rocks have long been a navigational hazard. For example, between 1824 and 1851, at least twenty-five sizeable vessels met with disaster on those rocks. Between 2000 and 2004 there were two reports of ship collisions.
In 1851, the Horsburgh lighthouse was built and named after Captain James Horsburgh, a Scottish hydrographer to the East India Company who mapped the waters of the area.
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[edit] Territorial dispute
Ownership of the island is disputed by Singapore and Malaysia.
Singapore has been administrating Pedra Branca and managing Horsburgh Lighthouse as early as 1851.
Singapore had been under British rule following the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 and most of Malaya were colonised by the British by the end of the 19th century. Singapore, was ruled as a Straits Settlement from 1826 and later as a British crown colony from 1867. Singapore gained self-rule in 1959 and later became part of independent Malaysia in 1963. On 7 August 1965, the Parliament of Malaysia voted to expel Singapore from Malaysia; the secession was effected two days later and Singapore became a sovereign, independent nation. The Separation Agreement in 1965 did not address the issue of sovereignty over Pedra Branca. Singapore continues to administrate the island and manage the lighthouse. Singapore states that it has exercised full sovereignty over the island since the 1840s without any protest from Malaysia.[1]
Malaysia first claimed the island in 1979 when the country published new official maps, which included the island of Pedra Branca in its territory. Malaysia asserts that when Johor Sultanate ceded Singapore to the British in 1824, the island was not part of the secession and that the Sultan of Johor only allowed the British to construct a lighthouse on the island in 1844.[2] In 1824, Sultan of Johor ceded Singapore and the surrounding of 10 nautical miles to the British East Indian Company.[3] Pedra Branca is located 25 nautical miles away from Singapore; the island is 7.7 nautical miles away from Johor.[4]
In 1994, both sides agreed to bring the matter to International Court of Justice.[1] Both countries have made written submissions to the Court and public hearings will open 6 November 2007.[5] [6]
[edit] Incident
In January 2003, RSS Courageous of the Republic of Singapore Navy collided with a 293.5 metre long Dutch merchant ship, ANL Indonesia near to the disputed island.[7] While no one sustained injuries on the merchant ship, which was relatively undamaged, the 57.84-metre 44-crew anti-submarine patrol vessel had a rear section sheered off[8], and suffered 3 deaths, 8 injuries, and one who's body has never been found. Subsequent findings found the navy ship's crew largely responsible for the accident.[9][10]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Pedra Branca. "Singapore's position over Pedra Branca". Retrieved February 14, 2006.
- ^ Paragraph 18. New Straits Times. "Spotlight on Batu Puteh". Retrieved February 14, 2006.
- ^ Paragraph 19. Spotlight on Batu Puteh. New Straits Times. January 2 2003. Retrieved December 10 2006.
- ^ Paragraph 20. Spotlight on Batu Puteh. New Straits Times. January 2 2003. Retrieved December 10 2006.
- ^ "Singapore: It won’t be wise for Malaysia to replace bridge", The Star (Malaysia), 3 March 2006.
- ^ International Court of Justice (2006-11-16). Sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge (Malaysia/Singapore). Press release. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
- ^ People's Daily. Singapore Navy Ship Collides with Merchant Ship January 4 2003.
- ^ Ministry of Defense, Singapore. Collision at Sea : RSS Courageous Towed Back to Changi Naval Base January 4, 2003.
- ^ Channel News Asia. Incident at Sea: The RSS Courageous Story. April 4 2003
- ^ NG Keng Yong v Public Prosecutor. RSS Courageous Extracted December 6 2006
[edit] See also
- Foreign relations of Malaysia
- Foreign relations of Singapore
- List of disputed or occupied territories
[edit] External links
- Picture of the lighthouse
- High Resolution Picture
- Lighthouse Explorer Database
- Decisions of the International Court of Justice
- Information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore
- Water trade and Pedra Branca
- Satellite image of Pedra Branca - Google Maps
- Aerial picture of Pedra Branca
| edit | Islands of Singapore |  |
| Natural islands: Pedra Branca (disputed with Malaysia) | Pulau Anak Bukom/Pulau Anak Bukum | Pulau Bajau | Pulau Berkas | Pulau Biola (Violin Island) | Pulau Blakang Mati (Sentosa) | Pulau Brani | Pulau Buaya | Pulau Bukom/Pulau Bukum | Pulau Bukom Kechil/Pulau Bukum Kechil | Pulau Buloh | Pulau Busing | Pulau Damar Laut | Pulau Damien | Pulau Hantu (Ghost Island) | Pulau Jong (Junk Island) | Pulau Keppel | Pulau Ketam | Pulau Khatib Bongsu | Pulau Malang Siajar | Pulau Palawan | Pulau Pawai | Pulau Pergam | Pulau Renggis | Pulau Sakijang Bendera (Saint John's Island) | Pulau Sakijang Pelepah (Lazarus Island) | Pulau Salu | Pulau Samulun | Pulau Sarimbun | Pulau Satumu (One Tree Island) | Pulau Sebarok (Middle Island) | Pulau Sekudu | Pulau Seletar | Pulau Semakau | Pulau Senang (Barn Island) | Pulau Sekudu (Frog Island) | Pulau Selugu (Sarong Island) | Pulau Serangoon (Coney Island) | Pulau Seringat | Pulau Seringat Kechil | Pulau Subar Darat (Sisters' Islands) | Pulau Subar Laut (Sisters' Islands) | Pulau Sudong | Pulau Tekong | Pulau Tekukor | Pulau Tembakul (Kusu Island/Peak Island) | Pulau Ubin | Pulau Ujong (Singapore Island) | Pulau Ular | Pulau Unum | Sultan Shoal | ||
| Artificial islands: Chinese Garden | Coral Island | Japanese Garden | Jurong Island | Kias Island | Paradise Island | Pearl Island | Pulau Punggol Barat | Pulau Punggol Timor | Sandy Island | Treasure Island | ||
| Former islands: Anak Pulau | Berhala Reping | Pulau Ayer Chawan | Pulau Ayer Merbau | Pulau Bakau | Pulau Darat | Pulau Merlimau | Pulau Mesemut Darat | Pulau Mesemut Laut | Pulau Meskol | Pulau Pesek | Pulau Pesek Kecil | Pulau Saigon | Pulau Sejahat | Pulau Sejahat Kechil | Pulau Sakeng/Pulau Sekang/Pulau Seking | Pulau Sakra | Pulau Sanyongkong | Pulau Semechek | Pulau Seraya | Pulau Tekong Kechil | Terumbu Retan Laut | ||
