Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke on Dec. 10 accused Singapore of being selective in the release of email correspondence between both countries over the Seletar Airport Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures.

Calling the disclosure "partial and selective", Loke said it was meant to influence public opinion.

He called for Singapore to release email correspondence between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) for Oct. 9, Nov 15, 21 and 28.

"Failing which we are prepared to release the letters for full disclosure of such information for the public’s comprehension of our stand on the same," he added.

His comments were published on Malaysiakini.

His statement that Malaysia was "prepared to release the letters for full disclosure" had whipped up support from Malaysian commentators with several asking him to go ahead and release the letters:

The first email release

Previously, Singapore's Ministry of Transport, on Dec. 4, released two emails dated Dec. 6, 2017 and Jun. 6, 2018.

They had done so after Malaysia had said it wanted to claim back its airspace following the impending implementation of the ILS procedures for Seletar Airport.

In the two emails released by MOT which were emails by CAAS sent to Malaysia, it showed CAAS asking Malaysia for their input on the ILS.

However, the emails sent by MOT were not responded to for months.

The updated ILS was originally intended to come into effect in August 2018.

The ILS is set to come into effect on Jan. 3, 2019 instead.

Go ahead and release correspondence, but...

In response to media queries on Loke's comments, Singapore’s MOT released a statement explaining "that Singapore had released correspondence on 4 December 2018 to address media queries as to whether CAAS had consulted CAAM in December 2017.”

The statement also said: “The queries arose from Malaysia’s inaccurate claim earlier in the day that this matter had only come to their attention two months ago (October 2018)".

Explaining why it did not release more correspondence, MOT added "that it would be useful for negotiations to be kept confidential to facilitate frank and constructive exchanges".

MOT pointed out that Loke mentioned only for Singapore to share letters from CAAM from October to November 2018.

MOT also said that Malaysia was free to publish the correspondence on this matter.

However, it asked for Malaysia to "ensure that all correspondence and records of discussions between Singapore and Malaysia be published, including the record of discussion of the latest meeting between the two countries on 29-30 November 2018".

Here's MOT's statement in full:

In response to media queries on MOT Malaysia’s media statement of 10 December 2018 that Singapore had selectively published documents related to the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures for Seletar Airport, we would like to explain that Singapore had released correspondence on 4 December 2018 to address media queries as to whether CAAS had consulted CAAM in December 2017. The queries arose from Malaysia’s inaccurate claim earlier in the day that this matter had only come to their attention two months ago (October 2018).

Singapore’s view is that it would be useful for negotiations to be kept confidential to facilitate frank and constructive exchanges. This is why we have not released any other correspondence between Singapore and Malaysia on this matter. The Malaysia Minister for Transport, Anthony Loke, had expressed a similar view on 4 December 2018.

Nonetheless, we have no objection if Malaysia feels the need to release correspondence on this matter. However, we observe that the Malaysia Ministry of Transport has only mentioned its letters from October and November 2018. For transparency, Malaysia should ensure that all correspondence and records of discussions between Singapore and Malaysia be published, including the record of discussion of the latest meeting between the two countries on 29-30 November 2018.

Top image from Anthony Loke Facebook page