Pedoman Affair – A lesson in diplomacy

It is easy to behave like a busybody shouting at everyone to obey the rule of law when it is none of your business. The consequence of such naïve behavior growing out of a big head is to make enemies unnecessary instead of making friends.
 
The Pedoman Affair, when a Malaysian govt boat chose to park itself in Singapore territorial water is like the Philippines parking a broken down boat in China’s island and refused to butt off. China is acting with great restraint by not doing anything to the scoundrel’s bad antics and let them make a fool of themselves inn the middle of the South China Sea. In the Singapore case, the provocation is real. It is not a ‘broken down’ vessel that could not move, but a boat deliberately sailed and anchored in Singapore water. And the Malaysian boat just sits there and telling the Singapore govt what can it do.
 
This is a test of patient and tolerance and diplomacy. China has been facing such antics from the Philippines for years. Singapore now is having its share of what it is like when another country did it to you. And for its past behavior for crying out loud when it was none of its business, Singapore now has no friends to cry out loud to support its position. No one wants to breathe a word in favour of Singapore. Not even the 5 eyes countries that were Singapore’s allies.
 
The 5 eyes countries would be very happy to gang up to protect their white allies, not an Asian little country, no matter how Singapore professed to be their good friends, good ally. If Singapore were to act like the little boy PM in Canada and call on the 5 eyes countries or friendly countries to tell the Malaysians to back off, would they comply, would they send letters to the Malaysian govt on behalf of Singapore?
 
Where are all the friends of Singapore? Where is the Philippines that Singapore shouted until it voice went coarse the in South China island dispute and supporting the so called UN backed back lane arbitration court in Haque?
 
Singapore is looking so lonely in this incident. Somehow there is a lack of busybodies to come forward to Singapore’s aid, to stand beside Singapore. It is indeed a very lonely feeling out there.
 
But that is ok even if Singapore has no friends coming to stand on its side. It still can punch above its weight. Ya? What is Malaysia when Singapore thought it could even punch countries like China? Why is it so difficult for Singapore to give Malaysia a black eye, to arrest the Pedoman and pull it to Singapore harbor, and to release it later if Malaysia pays a fine, like the Philippines used to do, or to blow it up like the Indons did? Cannot punch above its weight even with Malaysia? Is Malaysia too big and too powerful than China?
 
Why so much restraints on the part of Singapore to deal with this border interference and provocation issue to the point of looking hapless? Where are all the loudspeakers from the MFA?