Surprisingly, the same subject is headlined in the Malaysian NEW STRAITS TIMES in a more balanced and "truthful" manner, as seen from the following extract : ----------------------------------------------
New Straits Times » Frontpage Reclamation to be monitoredDeborah LohHAMBURG, Oct 9:
SHORT of ordering a total suspension of SingaporeÂ’s reclamation works, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) yesterday
directed the republic not to conduct its reclamation in ways that would cause irreparable prejudice to MalaysiaÂ’s rights or serious harm to the marine environment.
The tribunal also ordered Singapore to subject its reclamation works to a group of independent experts who would study its effects and propose appropriate measures to deal with any adverse impact. The order was read by tribunal president L. Dolliver M. Nelson.
Also on the bench were all 21 permanent judges of the tribunal, and the two ad hoc judges appointed by Malaysia and Singapore.
The tribunal ordered both countries to co-operate in promptly setting up the group of experts and jointly agree on the terms of reference of the study, which should be completed within a year.
The study by the experts was a Malaysian proposal. 
It also ordered the study to prepare as soon as possible an interim report on the infilling works in Area D at Pulau Tekong (reclamation here has not started).
Malaysia and Singapore are also to have regular exchanges of information and assessment of risks and effects of the reclamation.
The order, however, was silent on the boundary issue of reclamation works affecting the waters at Point 20 south of Tuas.Significantly, the ITLOS order noted that Singapore had committed itself to "carefully study Malaysia's evidence" if Malaysia could "point to a specific and unlawful adverse effect that would be avoided by suspending some part of the present works".
Singapore had also said that it would "seriously re-examine its works and consider taking such steps as are necessary and proper, including a suspension, to deal with the adverse effect in question".
Singapore had also informed the tribunal that it would not take "irreversible action" to construct the stone revetment around Area D at Pulau Tekong, pending the completion of the joint study.The order noted that these commitments by Singapore were placed on the tribunal's record. Singapore's request that Malaysia bear its costs incurred in the proceedings was dismissed.Additionally, the tribunal wants Malaysia and Singapore to submit to it the first report on compliance with the order by Jan 9.
Present on Malaysia's side were co-agent Ambassador to Germany Datuk Kamal Ismaun and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail. Singapore was represented by its agent Prof Tommy Koh, its ambassador-atlarge, and co-agent A. Selvarajah, Singapore's Ambassador to Germany.
The ITLOS order is equivalent to a judicial order and is, therefore, legally binding on both parties. Malaysia decided to apply to ITLOS for interim provisional measures (or an injunction) on the reclamation works, after Singapore turned down repeated requests to negotiate the matter. Singapore also did not respond to Malaysia's requests for an environmental impact assessment of its works.
The reclamation dispute still has to be settled by a separate arbitral tribunal.Malaysia instituted arbitral proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and on Sept 5, submitted a request to the ITLOS for the provisional measures.
The hearing of the case was held for three days from Sept 25. Malaysia had been represented by its agent Foreign Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Fuzi Abdul Razak, Gani and international law experts Sir Elihu Lauterpacht, James Crawford, both professors of Cambridge University, and Prof Nico Schrijver, a professor of international law.
Malaysia had argued that a stop to the reclamation works pending final arbitration was crucial given the irreparable damage to the marine environment at Pulau Tekong.
Studies were presented to show that continued reclamation would narrow the distance between the Johor coast and the island, causing an increase in current velocity, resulting in greater coastal erosion, siltation and higher salinity in Johor's estuaries. These effects would destroy coastal habitats.
The shipping lane between Pulau Tekong and the Pularek naval training base would also be narrowed, causing difficulties in ship manoeuvrability.
Malaysia said the stoppage of works at Tuas was also warranted because the affected area in the southern waters of Tuas (at Point 20) lay within territorial waters claimed by Malaysia since 1979. Additionally, Singapore's actions had breached international obligations owed to Malaysia as a neighbour, which is the duty to co-operate bilaterally especially since the straits were a semi-enclosed sea common to both countries.
Singapore had been represented by Koh and Attorney-General Chan Sek Keong.
Singapore did not accept Malaysia's technical studies as proof of environmental damage. It blamed marine pollution in the straits on Malaysia's own development projects. It also argued that the claim of urgency was not credible as Malaysia knew of the reclamation but delayed action until works reached an advanced stage.
On the disputed Point 20 south of Tuas, Singapore said the waters there were within its boundary under a 1995 agreement ratified by both countries.If completed, the reclamation would add a total of 3,306ha to Pulau Tekong, double its original size, while Tuas would be extended seven kilometres, covering 1,908ha.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Frontpage/20031009081625/Article/
