January 4, 2003	Saturday	Shawwal 30, 1423

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3: Malaysia, locked in a row with neighbouring Singapore over ownership of a tiny islet, on Friday advised fishermen and politicians to stay away from the area until the dispute is settled.

Police in southern Johor state bordering Singapore warned the public and the youth wing of the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) against carrying out plans to go to the disputed Batu Puteh islet.

“For the time being, I will not encourage members of the public to go near the Batu Puteh because we cannot guarantee their safety at sea,” police chief Mukhtar Ismail was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

Malaysia maintains it has had sovereignty since the early 16th century over the islet but Singapore says it has exercised sovereign rights over what it calls Pedra Branca since the 1840s when the British colonial government occupied the islet and constructed a lighthouse.

The two countries have agreed to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Friday he had received a letter from Singapore suggesting the formal signing of such an accord on the sidelines of the summit in Brussels on January 27 or 28 between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union.

Syed Hamid told reporters he had not decided whether to accept because he might not attend the summit and there was in any case no need to go all the way to Brussels to sign the agreement, which could be done anytime.

“I just received the letter. I want to see the significance of it suddenly coming and being signed on the margins of the ASEAN-EU meeting.”

He added that it would take three years from the date of signing for the final hearing of the case by the ICJ.—AFP