Singapore won a key victory Friday with the International Court of Justice awarding the city-state sovereignty over the island of Pedra Branca, bringing to a close a 29-year dispute with Malaysia, DPA reported. Malaysia, which calls the rocky island Pulau Batu Puteh, claimed it belonged to the state of Johor. The decision is a "victory" for Singapore, said analyst Simon Tay. The decision is "something we must accept on both sides." The proceedings were broadcast live by Channel NewsAsia. The 16 judges agreed that Singapore had been acting as the sovereign power on the rocky island that is home to Horseburgh Lighthouse and strategically located at the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait, used by 900 ships every day. Malaysia was awarded a formation known as the Middle Rocks. Judge Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh, acting president of the court, read out the lengthy decision, first recounting the arguments both sides had presented in several rounds of written and oral pleadings. The two countries have set up a joint technical committee to enforce the court's ruling. Leading the Singapore delegation was Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar, Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong and Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh. A 33-strong team was involved in the hearing last November in The Hague. Malaysia's delegation was led by Foreign Minister Rais Yatim and Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Mohamad, adviser to the prime minister.
