Lucky sits on first Law of the Sea case

FORMER Appeal Court Judge Anthony Lucky, who was sworn in two weeks ago as a member of the United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, will begin sitting with the Tribunal this week to adjudicate on a dispute between Malaysia and Singapore. Justice Lucky was officially sworn in at a full public sitting of the Tribunal in Hamburg, Germany, following his election at the UN Headquarters in New York where he obtained 92 of the 95 ballots cast.

The full Tribunal, comprising 21 members, will begin sitting this week on a dispute over the straits of Johor which separate Malaysia and Singapore. Malaysia has submitted the case to the UN Tribunal in an attempt to stop Singapore’s land reclamation projects in the straits. Under the presidency of Dolliver Nelson, a Grenadian, the Tribunal will sit in public and hear submissions from legal experts and representatives from both countries.

Malaysia is concerned that the land reclamation will affect the streaming conditions in the straits in a negative way and that the coastline and the seabed will change as a result. Moreover, the Malaysians fear that the marine environment will be irreversibly damaged. In its request for provisional measures, Malaysia is seeking an immediate halt to the project. Kuala Lumpur is also requesting more information on the land reclamation. On the other side, Singapore has expressed astonishment at its neighbour’s opposition. Since July the two states have been exchanging diplomatic notes on the issue. The small island state argues that it needs more land for development. This case is among the 12 matters pending before the UN Tribunal.