KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has proposed a shorter period in the suspension of two measures related to airspace issues after Singapore suggested extending it until May 31, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Friday (Jan 25).

Mr Loke said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has suggested extending it until March 31 instead of May 31 as proposed by his Singapore counterpart Khaw Boon Wan during their meeting in Singapore on Jan 23.

“I briefed the Cabinet on Thursday. But the Prime Minister said it might be a bit too long and asked that we shorten it. This morning I contacted the Singapore High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur to counter propose that we shorten it to March 31,” he said.

“It is up to Singapore’s side if they agree to it or not,” he said, adding that it is “just a counter proposal”.

Mr Loke described his meeting with Mr Khaw as “a good discussion, very direct, very frank.”

“Both sides are positively committed towards resolving the Seletar Airport issue.”

Singapore is seeking to extend a mutual one-month suspension of the two measures while it thrashes out airspace issues with Malaysia.

At this week’s meeting, Mr Khaw sought to extend the suspension of Malaysia’s restricted area over Pasir Gudang and the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Seletar Airport to give officials “more discussion time to reach a win-win outcome”.

Mr Khaw said he made this proposal to Mr Loke during a “heart-to-heart discussion”.

It was the third time that the two ministers met, after previous meetings in Putrajaya, Malaysia, and Bangkok last year.

Mr Khaw said they will meet again after Chinese New Year to continue the discussion over airspace.

The two countries are embroiled in a dispute over Singapore’s introduction of the ILS for Seletar Airport and Malaysia’s subsequent decision to declare a restricted zone over Pasir Gudang for the purpose of military activities.

On Jan 8, both countries agreed to simultaneously and immediately suspend – for one month in the first instance – the restricted area and the ILS for Seletar.

Malaysia claims that an ILS at Seletar Airport would hamper the construction of tall buildings at Johor’s Pasir Gudang, to the north of the airport.

Singapore has said repeatedly that this is not true as the new landing system does not impose new height restrictions.

The only change on introducing an ILS is that pilots will be guided using ground instruments and will no longer rely on just their vision.

On Dec 25, Malaysia declared a restricted area over Pasir Gudang, which was in the flight path for landing and take-off at Seletar Airport, from the north.

All planes heading to and from Seletar would need prior approval from the Royal Malaysian Air Force to operate in that zone between 2,000 ft and 5,000 ft, or avoid the area.

The disagreement over flight procedures for Seletar Airport is part of a larger air dispute that also includes Malaysia wanting to take back management of airspace over south Johor, a task that was delegated to Singapore in 1974.

Singapore and Malaysia are also locked in a maritime dispute, sparked by Malaysia’s unilateral decision to extend the Johor Baru port limits in October, and subsequent intrusions by Malaysian government vessels into Singapore waters.

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