02/07/2026 03:17 PM

Johor Polls: Tok Pandak To Continue Push To Redraw Johor-Singapore Maritime Boundary

By Hasnah Jusid

JOHOR BAHRU, July 2 (Bernama) -- Although the fishing community makes up only 1.53 per cent, or about 2,000, of the 132,579 registered voters in the Kota Iskandar state constituency, it holds a special place in the heart of the constituency’s incumbent Barisan Nasional (BN) representative Datuk Pandak Ahmad.

It is easy to understand why, as fishing runs deep in his blood: both his late grandfather and father were fishermen, and he grew up in a village community that depended on the sea for its livelihood, where boats and sampans were the primary means of transportation.

“Even when I went to English College, my journey was different from everyone else’s. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, I travelled by boat from Sungai Melayu to Pantai Lido. Fishermen and I simply are inseparable.

“During State Assembly sittings, I often joke, ‘If you cut my left arm, catfish blood would flow. If you cut my right hand, mussels and crabs would come out.’ That’s how deeply connected I am to the fishing community – it’s part of who I am,” he said in an interview with Bernama, ahead of the 16th Johor state election, in which he will defend the Kota Iskandar seat.

Affectionately known as ‘Tok Pandak’, the former village head of 30 years and ex-member of the Iskandar Puteri City Council for 12 years said his close ties with the fishing community have made him the go-to person for fishermen seeking help with issues ranging from everyday concerns to matters of international significance.

Among the key challenges that continue to plague traditional fishermen are allegations of harassment by the Singaporean authorities while they carry out fishing activities in waters near the maritime border.

In 2022, several local fishermen were reportedly ordered to leave the Pasir Laba area, near the Malaysia–Singapore Second Link (Linkedua), while setting shrimp nets, sparking a heated verbal exchange between the fishermen and Singaporean enforcement officers.

Pandak, 63, has consistently been one of the most outspoken advocates for the fishing community in the state assembly, including proposing a motion to redraw the Malaysia-Singapore maritime boundary involving Johor waters, particularly the Strait of Johor, although the proposal has yet to be realised.

“The maritime boundary needs to be redrawn to ensure our territorial waters are not encroached upon and that fishermen can carry out their activities without interference,” he said.

As such, he said that if given another mandate, he remains committed to championing the rights of traditional fishermen, including ensuring that maritime boundary issues and fishermen’s safety receive serious attention from the government, while safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.

Pandak said the maritime boundary issue is particularly critical given the narrow waters of the Johor Strait, where the close proximity of the two countries makes it difficult for traditional fishermen to identify the actual boundary while at sea, exposing them to safety risks, including being ordered to leave by Singaporean authorities.

However, he expressed gratitude that the situation along the maritime border has improved, with reports of interference involving local fishermen becoming less frequent.

He attributed the positive development to strong diplomatic ties and good understanding between local leaders and the new Consul-General of the Republic of Singapore in Johor Bahru, Ng Kuan Khai.

"After he assumed office, we reached a mutual understanding. I also explained to the consulate the unique practices of our traditional fishermen in Tanjung Kupang, Sungai Melayu and Pendas, who rarely wear life jackets while casting their nets because doing so could pose technical and safety issues during fishing operations.

“They (the Singaporean authorities) are now more mindful of and better understand the situation,” he said.

In November 2023, then Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin said there was no need to redraw the maritime boundary between Singapore and Johor in the Johor Strait.

He said the Malaysia–Singapore maritime boundary had already been finalised under the Agreement between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of the Republic of Singapore to Delimit Precisely the Territorial Waters Boundary in Accordance with the 1927 Johore Territorial Waters Agreement and the Straits Settlements, signed on Aug 7, 1995, which remains in force.

The Kota Iskandar state constituency, with 132,579 registered voters, will see a four-cornered contest involving Pandak, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Dzulkefly Ahmad, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate S. Anna Pravina, and Sahrudin Omar of Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama).

Polling for the Johor state election will be held on July 11, while early voting is scheduled for July 7.

For the latest news on the 16th Johor state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/johor/.

-- BERNAMA

 

N49: KOTA ISKANDAR - 132,579 voters

1. S. Anna Pravina (PN-MIPP)

2. Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH-Amanah)

3. Datuk Pandak Ahmad (BN-UMNO)

4. Sahrudin Omar (Bersama)

(2022: Datuk Pandak Ahmad: BN-UMNO: Maj: 4,360)

 

 

 


 

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