Quora Answer: Does Separation of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia Render the Water Agreement 1962 Null & Void?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Does separation of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia, on the 09th August 1965 render the Water Agreement 1962 null and void?”

The water agreements of 1961 and 1962 were signed prior to the Separation of Singapore from Malaysia, in 1965.  The mischievous argument of some Malaysian politicians is that the agreement was between two different entities, the Federation of Malaya, and Singapore as a Crown Colony.  As such, it carries no legal weight as an agreement between Malaysia and Singapore.  Malaysia was officially independent in 1963, and Singapore in 1965.

However, that is a facetious argument, since if these agreements were non-binding, why did Malaysia and Singapore adhere to it?  The reason is because the Separation Agreement of 1965 guaranteed both water agreements, making them intrinsic to the independence of Singapore declaration.

This Separation Agreement, also known as the Independence of Singapore Agreement, was filed with the United Nations.  Not only are the water agreements binding, they are clauses in our independence agreement, meaning that any variance of the water agreements is tantamount to an attack on Singapore’s sovereignty.