SINGAPORE: With more countries acting unilaterally and with impunity, Singapore needs to support global institutions and forums that uphold international law as a matter of national interest, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (May 13).
Speaking at a youth forum to mark the bicentenary of Singapore’s legal system, he said Singapore’s position on international law is “not just a matter of idealism, it is a matter of national interest”.
“For a small country like Singapore, a strong and functional system of international rules is vital. It provides a measure of stability and predictability in an uncertain world,” said PM Wong at the SGLaw200 Youth Forum, held at Singapore Management University’s Yong Pung How School of Law.
He said that on its own, Singapore may not have much influence over how the world evolves.
But with like-minded partners, he said, “we can help to shape the environment around us and strengthen the rules and norms that protect all countries, big and small”.
“That’s what Singapore strives to do, and we will continue to do our part – to support and uphold these frameworks, and to contribute to a more stable and orderly global system,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that the framework of international law – such as the United Nations Charter, the International Court of Justice, the Geneva Conventions, and the Law of the Sea – was built by nations over the past century after devastating wars.
“They did all this because they understood a simple truth: However imperfect, a world governed by rules is far safer than one governed by raw power alone,” said PM Wong.
But he also pointed out that this system is under growing strain today.
“International rules are increasingly disregarded, with little or no consequence,” he said.
“And when strength replaces right, the system begins to fray. And it is always the smaller and more vulnerable nations that feel the impact first,” said PM Wong, adding that is why Singapore speaks up and makes its voice count, citing forums such ASEAN, Group of 20 and United Nations meetings.
“We support international institutions and mechanisms for peaceful dispute resolution. And when fundamental principles are tested, we state our positions clearly and consistently,” he said.
He gave the example of international maritime laws that ensure vital waterways remain open to all, and are not subject to arbitrary control – something he said was critical to Singapore as a trading nation that depends on open and secure sea lanes.
“If these principles are weakened, it will not just affect distant regions. It will affect Singapore directly,” said PM Wong.
His comments come a day after Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that, in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, he expressed Singapore’s hope for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the current conflict in the Middle East.
Balakrishnan said the ministers exchanged views on the long-term future of the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Singapore’s position is that all states should enjoy unimpeded right of transit passage through strait used for international navigation based on international law.
Balakrishnan had in April told Parliament that Singapore will not negotiate with Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as a matter of principle amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Doing so, he said then, would implicitly erode the legal principle of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which Singapore is a signatory. - The Straits Times/ANN
