Singapore-Malaysia Water Agreements

1/1/24, 2:42 PM Singapore-Malaysia water agreements
A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify
  
Singapore-Malaysia water agreements
SINGAPORE INFOPEDIA
by Chew, Valerie
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Background
Singapore and Malaysia have signed four agreements regarding the

supply of water from across the Causeway. The first signed in 1927 is
no longer in force.1 Water imported from Malaysia under the other
three agreements – signed in 1961, 1962 and 1990 – meets about
half of Singapore's water demand.2 However, this quantity was
reduced after the 1961 pact expired in August 2011. The government
has also stated that Singapore can be self-sufficient in water by the
time the 1962 and 1990 agreements expire in 2061.3
1927 agreement
Dated 5 December 1927, this agreement was signed between the
municipal commissioners of the town of Singapore and Sultan Ibrahim
of the state and territories of Johor. It allowed Singapore to rent 2,100
ac (8.5 sq km) of land in Gunong Pulai for the purpose ofNeed
supplying
Help?
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raw water fromGovernment

A Singapore the areaAgency
to Singapore.
Website HowAn annual rent of 30 sen per
to identify
acre (per 4,047 sq m) was payable on the land but the water was free.
Johor set aside an additional 25 sq mi (64.7 sq km)  of land

and agreed
not to alienate any part of this land for the next 21 years without the
consent of the Singapore commissioners.4 If the latter wanted to
reserve any part of this plot for drawing water, they had to give notice
to the Johor government and pay an annual rent of $5 per acre.5 In
return, Johor could obtain 800,000 gallons (3,637 cu m) of treated
water from Singapore daily at a rate of 25 sen per 1,000 gallons (per
4.55 cu m).6 If Johor required more treated water after 1929, the
amount supplied could be increased, but only up to 1,200,000 gallons
(5,455 cu m) per day.7
1961 agreement
The Tebrau and Scudai Rivers Water Agreement was made between
the city council of the state of Singapore and the government of the
state of Johor.8 Although the agreement was officially signed on 2
October 1961, it had already taken effect on 1 September the
previous month.9 By then, Singapore was a self-governing state while
Malaya was an independent nation.10 The 1927 agreement was
declared void in this document.11
The agreement gave Singapore the full and exclusive right to draw off
all the water within the designated land at Gunong Pulai, Sungei
Tebrau and Sungei Scudai for a period of 50 years up till 2011.12
Singapore was to pay an annual rent of RM5 per acre for the land and
a charge of 3 sen for every 1,000 gallons of raw water it drew.13
Singapore also agreed to provide Johor with a daily supply of treated
water up to 12 percent of the raw water it drew, subject to a minimum
of four million gallons (18,184 cu m), and at a price of 50 cents per
1,000 gallons. If the 12 percent provided by Singapore was
insufficient, Johor could request for more treated water to be
supplied.14
1962 agreement
The Johor RiverGovernment

A Singapore Water Agreement
Agency Websitewas
How signed
to identifyon 29 September 1962
between the city council of the state of Singapore and the

government of the state of Johor.15 Valid for 99 years  till 2061, the
agreement gave Singapore the right to draw 250 million gallons of
water per day (1.14 million cubic metres) from the Johor River.16 In
return, Johor was entitled to a daily supply of treated water from
Singapore up to two percent of the raw water it supplied.17
Singapore had to pay rent for the land it used “at the standard rate
applicable to building lots on town land”.18 The water prices remained
the same as in the previous agreement – 3 sen per 1,000 gallons of
raw water supplied to Singapore and 50 sen per 1,000 gallons of
treated water sold to Johor.19 After Singapore and Malaysia stopped
using a common currency in 1973, the prices became denominated in
Malaysian ringgit.20
The 1961 and 1962 agreements provided for a price review after 25
years, with arbitration being the agreed course of action if bilateral
price negotiations failed.21 However, the Johor government chose not
to revise the prices at both opportunities, in 1986 and 1987.22
The Independence of Singapore Agreement (also known as the

Separation Agreement) signed between the governments of Singapore
and Malaysia on 9 August 1965 guaranteed the 1961 and 1962 water
agreements.23
1990 agreement
This was signed on 24 November 1990 between the Public Utilities
Board (PUB) of Singapore and the government of the state of Johor.24
It was supplementary to the 1962 pact and would also expire in
2061.25 A separate document was signed on the same day by the
governments of Malaysia and Singapore to guarantee adherence to
the agreement.26
Under this agreement, Singapore was allowed to construct a dam

acrossA Sungei
SingaporeLinggiu 27 Agency
Government to facilitate the toextraction
Website How identify of water from the
Johor River,28 with Johor setting aside about 21,600 ha (216 sq km) of
land for the project.29 Singapore agreed to pay a RM320   million as
compensation for the permanent loss of use of the land and its
associated revenue, in addition to a premium of RM18,000 per
hectare (10,000 sq m) and an annual rent of RM30 for every 1,000 sq
ft (per 92.9 sq m) for the land occupied by a water treatment plant and
other ancillary permanent works. The cost of building and maintaining
the dam would be borne by Singapore.30
In return, Singapore could purchase treated water from Johor

generated by the new dam.31 This would be over and above the 250
mgd of raw water that it was allowed to draw from the Johor River
under the 1962 agreement.32 The price of this additional supply would
be calculated based on a fixed formula: the weighted average of
Johor's water tariffs plus 50 percent of the surplus from the sale of
this water by PUB to its consumers after deducting Johor's price and
PUB's cost of distribution, or 115 percent of the weighted average of
Johor's water tariffs, whichever was higher.33
This agreement was a follow-up to the memorandum of

understanding (MOU) signed on 28 June 1988 between the two
countries' prime ministers at the time: Lee Kuan Yew for Singapore
and Mahathir Mohamad for Malaysia. The signing of the MOU was
hailed as a breakthrough in Singapore-Malaysia water relations – the
culmination of six years of difficult negotiations.34
Beyond 2061
The Singapore government did not renew the 1961 agreement which
expired in 2011.35 To reduce Singapore's dependence on imported
water, the government has taken steps to increase the size of the local
water catchment area and to build up the supply from non-
conventional sources, namely NEWater (reclaimed water) and
desalinated water (treated seawater), by setting up water treatment
plants in various parts of Singapore. The first two NEWater plants
were Aopened
Singaporein Bedok and
Government Kranji
Agency inHow
Website 2003. With the various water
to identify
projects progressing well, government officials have assured

Singaporeans that the country can be self-reliant in water

by 2061 if it
needs to be.36
Author
Valerie Chew
References
1. Water agreements. (2006). In T. Koh, et al. (Eds.). Singapore: The
encyclopedia. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet; National Heritage
Board, p. 585. (Call no.: RSING 959.57003 SIN-[HIS]); Devan, J. (2003,
February 4). Resource traded for over 70 years. The Straits Times, p.
6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Wee, L.-A. (2003, February 9). Govt assurance on long-term water
supply. The Straits Times, p.1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Low, L.,
& Lee, P. O. (2009). Singapore's perspective on economic relations
with Malaysia. In T. Shiraishi (Ed.). Across the causeway: A multi-
dimensional study of Malaysia-Singapore relations. Singapore:
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, pp. 257–258. (Call no.: RSING
327.59505957 ACR)
supply. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
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Town of Singapore signed on 5 December 1927 (Extracted from

Administration Report ofAgency

A Singapore Government the Singapore Municipality
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328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019, July 31 from Parliament   of Singapore
website: https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/search/download?
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752585.pdf; Devan, J.
(2003, February 4). Resource traded for over 70 years. The Straits
Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
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January 25). Annex A: The Agreement as to Certain Water Rights in
Johore between the Sultan of Johore and the Municipal
Commissioners of the Town of Singapore signed on 5 December 1927
(Extracted from Administration Report of the Singapore Municipality
for the Year 1927) (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2591–2592. (Call
no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019, July 31 from Parliament of
Singapore website: https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/search/download?
Annex A: The Agreement as to Certain Water Rights in Johore
between the Sultan of Johore and the Municipal Commissioners of the
Town of Singapore signed on 5 December 1927 (Extracted from
Administration Report of the Singapore Municipality for the Year
1927) (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2597–2598. (Call no.: RSING
328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019, July 31 from Parliament of Singapore
website: https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/search/download?
January 25). Annex A: The Agreement as to Certain Water Rights in

Johore between
A Singapore the Sultan
Government ofWebsite
Agency Johore and
How the Municipal
to identify
Commissioners of the Town of Singapore signed on 5 December 1927

(Extracted from Administration Report of the Singapore   Municipality
for the Year 1927) (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2597–2598. (Call
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752585.pdf
Annex B: The Tebrau and Scudai Rivers Water Agreement between
the Johore State Government and City Council of Singapore signed on
1 September 1961 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2605–2608. (Call
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752605.pdf
January 25). Annex B: The Tebrau and Scudai Rivers Water Agreement
between the Johore State Government and the City Council of
Singapore signed on 1 September 1961 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols.
2607–2608. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019, July
31 from Parliament of Singapore website:
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/search/download?
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752605.pdf;
Singapore signs water pact. (1961, October 3). The Straits Times, p.
16; Zuraidah Ibrahim. (1995, February 25). Singapore's water: History,
politics and future options. The Straits Times, p. 33. Retrieved from
NewspaperSG.
10. Devan, J. (2003, February 4). Resource traded for over 70
years. The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

Parliament. Parliamentary
A Singapore debates:
Government Agency Website Official report. (2003, January 25).
How to identify

the Johore State Government and the City Council  of Singapore

signed on 1 September 1961 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2609–

2610. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019, July 31 from
Parliament of Singapore website:
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752605.pdf
the Johore State Government and the City Council of Singapore
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752605.pdf;
16; Devan, J. (2003, February 4). Resource traded for over 70
the Johore State Government and the City Council of Singapore
2610, 2621–2622. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019,
July 31 from Parliament of Singapore website:
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752605.pdf;
Singapore signs water pact. (1961, October 3). The Straits Times, p.16;

Devan, J. (2003,
A Singapore February
Government 4). Resource
Agency to identifyfor over 70 years. The
Website How traded
Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

14. Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary debates: Official   report.
(2003, January 25). Annex B: The Tebrau and Scudai Rivers Water
Agreement between the Johore State Government and the City
Council of Singapore signed on 1 September 1961 (Vol. 75).
Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2619–2622. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN).
Retrieved 2019, July 31 from Parliament of Singapore website:
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752605.pdf;
16; Zuraidah Ibrahim. (1995, February 25). Singapore's water: History,
politics and future options. The Straits Times, p. 33. Retrieved from
NewspaperSG.
Annex C: The Johore River Water Agreement between the Johore
state Government and City Council of Singapore signed on 29
September 1962 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2645–2648. (Call no.:
RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019, July 31 from Parliament of
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752645.pdf
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752645.pdf; Council

signs Afor Johore

Singapore River water.
Government Agency(1962, to identify 30). The Straits Times,
September
Website How
p. 10. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

17. Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary debates: Official   report.
(2003, January 25). Annex C: The Johore River Water Agreement
between the Johore state Government and City Council of Singapore
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752645.pdf
February 4). Resource traded for over 70 years. The Straits Times, p. 6.
Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752645.pdf; Council
signs for Johore River water. (1962, September 30). The Straits Times,
p. 10. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
20. Devan, J. (2003, February 4). Resource traded for over 70
Board, p. 585. (Call no.: RSING 959.57003 SIN-[HIS])
https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=6b60db0e-95f5-4656-95e1-b1081ff83044#:~:text=Valid for 99 years till,the raw water it sup… 10/16

Board,A Singapore
p. 585. (Call no.: RSING
Government 959.57003
Agency Website SIN-[HIS])
How to identify

encyclopedia. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet; National   Heritage
Board, p. 585. (Call no.: RSING 959.57003 SIN-[HIS]); Low, L., & Lee,
P. O. (2009). Singapore's perspective on economic relations with
Malaysia. In T. Shiraishi (Ed.). Across the causeway: A multi-
dimensional study of Malaysia-Singapore relations. Singapore:
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, p. 261. (Call no.: RSING
327.59505957 ACR)
Annex D: Agreement between the Government of the State of Johore
and the Public Utilities Board of the Republic of Singapore signed on
24 November 1990 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2667–2668. (Call
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752665.pdf; Han, F.
K. (1990, November 25). S'pore, Johor sign new water pact. The
February 4). Resource traded for over 70 years. The Straits Times, p.
26. Han, F. K. (1990, November 25). S'pore, Johor sign new water
pact. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
Board, p. 585. (Call no.: RSING 959.57003 SIN-[HIS]); Zuraidah
Ibrahim. (1995, February 25). Singapore's water: History, politics and
future options. The Straits Times, p. 33. Retrieved from NewspaperSG;
Devan, J. (2003, February 4). Resource traded for over 70 years. The

StraitsA Times , p.
Singapore 6. Retrieved
Government from NewspaperSG.
Agency Website How to identify
28. Tan, Y. S., Lee, T. J., & Tan, K. (2009). Ensuring water sustainability:
The supply side. In Clean, green and blue: Singapore's  journey towards
environmental and water sustainability. Singapore: ISEAS Publishing,
p. 139. (Call no.: RSING 363.70095957 TAN)
29. Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary debates: Official report.
(2003, January 25). Annex D: Agreement between the Government of
the State of Johore and the Public Utilities Board of the Republic of
Singapore signed on 24 November 1990 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n],
cols. 2691–2692. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019,
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752665.pdf
cols. 2693–2696, 2675–2676. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN).
Retrieved 2019, July 31 from Parliament of Singapore website:
Straits Times, p. 1; Devan, J. (2003, February 4). Resource traded for
over 70 years. The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
cols. 2675–2676. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved 2019,

32. Water agreements.

A Singapore Government(2006). In T. How
Agency Website Koh,toet al. (Eds.). Singapore: The
identify

Board, p. 585. (Call no.: RSING 959.57003 SIN-[HIS]);  Singapore.
Annex D: Agreement between the Government of the State of Johore
and the Public Utilities Board of the Republic of Singapore signed on
24 November 1990 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2675–2676. (Call
cols. 2697–2699. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved
2019, July 31 from Parliament of Singapore website:
cols. 2669–2670. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN). Retrieved
2019, July 31 from Parliament of Singapore website:
value=PDFs/2003/20030125/20030125-HA-0752665.pdf; Cheong,
Y. S. (1988, June 29). Landmark deal, says PM Lee. The Straits Times,
p. 1; Zuraidah Ibrahim. (1995, February 25). Singapore's water:
History, politics and future options. The Straits Times, p. 33. Retrieved
from NewspaperSG.

35. Tan, Y. S., Lee,

A Singapore T. J., &Agency
Government Tan, Website
K. (2009). Ensuring
How to identify water sustainability:
The supply side. In Clean, green and blue: Singapore's journey towards
environmental and water sustainability. Singapore:  ISEAS

Publishing,
p. 140. (Call no.: RSING 363.70095957 TAN); Ng, E. (2011, September
1). 1961 water pact ends, handover on good terms. Today, p.
supply. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Public
Utilities Board. (2016, June). Our water, our future (p. 9). Retrieved
2019, July 31 from Public Utilities Board website:
https://www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/PUBOurWaterOurFuture.pdf
Further resources
Au Yong, J. (2008, September 16). Water tax sends important
message. The Straits Times, p. 32. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
Cai, H. X. (2011, March 5). Water deal's expiry won't affect prices. The
Chia, S.-A. (2002, September 5). Twists and turns. The Straits Times, p.
Kog, Y. C., et al. (2002). Beyond vulnerability? Water in Singapore-

Malaysia relations. Singapore: Institute of Defence and Strategic
Studies, Nanyang Technological University.
(Call no.: RSING 363.61095957 KOG)
Oon, C. (2009, June 24). Key step to water adequacy. The Straits
Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary debates: Official report. (2003,

January 25). Annex E: Guarantee Agreement between the
Government of Malaysia and the Government of the Republic of
Singapore signed
A Singapore on 24 Agency
Government November
Website1990
How to (Vol.
identify75). Singapore: [s.n],
cols. 2731–2736.
(Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN) 
Tan, T. H. (2002, April 6). Water: S'pore to rely less on KL. The Straits
Water talks? If only it could. (2003). Singapore: Ministry of

Information, Communications & The Arts.
(Call no.: RSING 327.59570595 WAT)
The information in this article is valid as at July 2019 and correct as far
as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be
an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the
Library for further reading materials on the topic.
Subjects
Water--Singapore
Categories
Public utilities

A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify
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1/1/24, 2:42 PM Singapore-Malaysia water agreements

A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify

Singapore-Malaysia water agreements

Singapore and Malaysia have signed four agreements regarding the

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=6b60db0e-95f5-4656-95e1-b1081ff83044#:~:text=Valid for 99 years till,the raw water it suppl… 1/16

raw water fromGovernment

The Johor RiverGovernment

between the city council of the state of Singapore and the

The Independence of Singapore Agreement (also known as the

Under this agreement, Singapore was allowed to construct a dam

In return, Singapore could purchase treated water from Johor

This agreement was a follow-up to the memorandum of

projects progressing well, government officials have assured

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=6b60db0e-95f5-4656-95e1-b1081ff83044#:~:text=Valid for 99 years till,the raw water it suppl… 5/16

Administration Report ofAgency

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Commissioners of the Town of Singapore signed on 5 December 1927

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Annex B: The Tebrau and Scudai Rivers Water Agreement between

signed on 1 September 1961 (Vol. 75). Singapore: [s.n], cols. 2609–

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Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

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signs Afor Johore

p. 10. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

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23. Water agreements. (2006). In T. Koh, et al. (Eds.). Singapore: The

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32. Water agreements.

encyclopedia. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet; National Heritage

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=6b60db0e-95f5-4656-95e1-b1081ff83044#:~:text=Valid for 99 years till,the raw water it sup… 13/16

35. Tan, Y. S., Lee,

Kog, Y. C., et al. (2002). Beyond vulnerability? Water in Singapore-

Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary debates: Official report. (2003,

Water talks? If only it could. (2003). Singapore: Ministry of

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A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify

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