With a fascist theme “Strength in Unity” at the PAP Convention, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong accused neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia of playing politics by deliberately raising “old subjects settled long ago”:
“Look at the Pedra Branca issue. It’s an old subject, we thought the issue was settled long ago, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in 2008 which awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore. But almost a decade later, the Malaysians have gone to the ICJ again, asking the Court to reinterpret and to revise the judgment, reopening the subject…
Indonesian politicians have been talking about taking back their airspace from Singapore. Singapore manages the Flight Information Region (FIR) around Changi Airport and it includes some areas which are in the Indonesian airspace, and Jakarta has said that it wants to reclaim the FIR. Singapore has all along said that the FIR is not an issue of sovereignty, but of the safety and efficiency of commercial air traffic. Issues over airspace and Pedra Branca happen because they have unfortunately been politicised.”
Lee Hsien Loong also denied having diplomatic troubles with China, despite the latter’s detention of 9 SAF Terrex vehicles this year:
“As a small nation, we have to make friends with as many countries as we can… We have to work hard to tend our relationships with both the US and China, while upholding Singapore’s own interests. I think we have not done too badly.”
The dictator PM called for citizens to support him and his every decision when dealing with foreign diplomacy:
“Singaporeans have to understand our core interests. When we are put to the test we will stay united and back the Government. Then we can stand our ground and defend Singapore’s interests as one single, cohesive country.”