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COMMENTS ALLEGING SINGAPORE'S LAND RECLAMATION CONTRIBUTED TO RECENT FLOODS IN KOTA TINGGI UNFOUNDED

In response to media queries on Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman's comments alleging that Singapore’s land reclamation at Pulau Tekong contributed to the recent floods in Kota Tinggi, a Singapore Ministry of National Development (MND) spokesperson said, "The comments are unfounded. This is confirmed by the results from technical studies that were commissioned separately by both the Malaysian government and the Singapore government as part of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) dispute settlement proceedings on Singapore's land reclamation works at Pulau Tekong and Tuas View Extension.

A coastal hydraulic study undertaken by the Malaysia's Department of Irrigation and Drainage in September 2002 on the impact of Singapore’s reclamation works concluded that there are no appreciable changes to the water levels within the Straits of Johor for the flood flows of 1:50 year or 1:100 year return periods. As such, the study concluded that there is no increased flooding due to Singapore’s reclamation works. A separate Environmental Impact Assessment report prepared by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia commissioned by the Malaysian government reported similar findings.

Technical studies commissioned separately by the Singapore government in 2003 also reached the same conclusions.

In fact, based on the results of these studies, the Group of Experts (GOE) which both governments appointed to study the impact of the reclamation works had recommended that it would not be necessary for the flood impact to be further assessed by the technical consultant appointed for the Joint Study. This was accepted by both governments. There is therefore no scientific basis to the allegations that the flooding is caused by Singapore’s land reclamation works at Pulau Tekong.”

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Last updated on 31 January 2007