ᑕᒪᗩYTOᑎ

Singapore is the first and only Asian country so far to publicly refuse negotiating passage with Iran. Many others have made deals with Tehran to allow their shipments through. Some vessels are reportedly paying as much as $2m in fees to Iran to cross the waterway without coming under fire. This speech which was given for a domestic audience in Singapore's parliament but somehow, it has ended up triggering a diplomatic incident with Malaysian politicians who are friendly and supportive of the Iranian regime. Singapore refuses to accept the principle of turning transit through international straits as an extortion racket or a modern pirate toll booth. It’s a right under UNCLOS transit passage rules, the same rules that keep the global economy breathing. Partly, this is due to self-interest as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia lie at the crossroads of another chokepoint - the Malacca Strait. The narrowest point is the Phillips Channel in the Singapore Strait is barely 2 nautical miles wide, squeezed between Singapore’s islands and Indonesia’s Riau chain. Compared to the Strait of Hormuz’s 21 nautical mile pinch point, Singapore’s narrowest stretch is ten times tighter. Every eastbound ship on the planet is funneled through its Traffic Separation Scheme. If anyone had a temptation to start charging “protection fees,” it would be Singapore. Negotiating with Iran would shred the legal norm that protects every strait used for international navigation. Malaysia, Indonesia, or anyone else with "geographical privilege" and a grudge could do the same. And before you say “but Israel and America violated international law so why can't Iran," let me just reiterate that two wrongs don’t license Iran to play 17th-century privateer with 21st-century oil tankers. Clearly the same people making this argument don't extend the accusations of flouting of international law to an Iranian regime that has cut the internet off for its people, murdered several tens of thousands, and has been found in breach of international nuclear safeguards and IAEA obligations due to undeclared nuclear materials and activities, particularly in violating the 2015 JCPOA deal by enriching uranium up to 60% and limiting inspector access. Selective outrage is the refuge of people who only care about rules when they hurt their preferred side. Singapore has never played that game. During the 1973 and 1979 oil crises, Singapore faced a severe shock and given that it was an oil refining hub, it could have nationalized foreign oil stocks and kept the lights on for two years. But Lee Kuan Yew didn't do that. Singapore honored contracts and kept the system running. Part of its brand in a chaotic world is that of being a responsible actor. This decision prioritized long term global trust and reliability over short term national gain. It positioned Singapore as a dependable partner in the eyes of multinational oil companies and international business. As a result, it attracted even more investment, expanded its role as a major refining and trading hub, and strengthened its economy far beyond what hoarding the oil would have achieved. Building credibility pays dividends for decades. Furthermore, every single dollar funneled to Iran’s “safe passage” scheme ends up subsidizing the very terror networks rebuilding Hezbollah and Hamas. Singapore knows it.