The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has put out a statement on Feb. 10 asking for Malaysia to withdraw its vessels from Singapore's territorial waters.

It said that the vessels were "in an area that goes beyond Malaysia’s territorial claim of 1979, which Singapore has never recognised".

MFA's statement comes a day after Greece-registered bulk carrier Piraeus collided with Malaysian vessel Polaris in Singapore's territorial waters off Tuas.

The ships collided within Singapore's port limits.

MFA said that Malaysia would be "responsible for any untoward situations" that would arise from Malaysian vessels' continued deployment in Singapore's waters.

Here's MFA's full statement:

The collision between MV Pireas and Malaysian Government vessel Polaris took place in Singapore Territorial Waters off Tuas, and in an area that goes beyond Malaysia’s territorial claim of 1979, which Singapore has never recognised. Singapore reiterates its call for Malaysia to withdraw its vessels from the area, as the persistent presence of its vessels clearly poses a threat to safety of navigation in the area. As we have said previously, Malaysia will be responsible for any untoward situations on the ground that arise from continued deployment of its vessels into this area.

The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore is currently investigating the incident.

Territorial dispute

Since November 2018, Malaysian vessels have entered Singapore's waters illegally.

This occurred after Malaysia issued a federal government gazette on Oct. 25 2018 called “Declaration of Alteration of Port Limits for Johore Bahru Port”, which unilaterally and arbitrarily extended its port limit beyond its own territorial waters, into Singapore waters and right up to its port limit (the purple line):

This extension goes beyond even Malaysia's own 1979 claim of its territorial waters. Singapore did not recognise Malaysia's 1979 claim.

Singapore has patrolled its side (to the right of the brown dotted line) and protested any intrusions or unauthorised activities. Malaysia did not make any claims on the body of water Singapore patrolled or protested the patrols.

Although foreign ministers from both countries met on Jan. 8 2019 to commit to resolving the dispute peacefully and calmly, 2 Malaysian vessels remained on Jan. 10.

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