Singapore’s Sand

The island's growth is not fueled by sand smuggling.

The allegations that Singapore's land reclamation was carried out using sand smuggled from its neighbouring countries ("The Sand Smugglers"  Aug. 4, 2010) and that the government condones this illegal sand trade are baseless. Singapore is a small island. To support our economic development, we import sand to reclaim land within our terroritorial waters. This means sand is extracted from elsewhere and brought to Singapore. Since Malaysia and Indonesia banned sea sand exports, we have sourced for reclamation sand from other sources.

The allegations that Singapore’s land reclamation was carried out using sand smuggled from its neighbouring countries ("The Sand Smugglers"  Aug. 4, 2010) and that the government condones this illegal sand trade are baseless. Singapore is a small island. To support our economic development, we import sand to reclaim land within our terroritorial waters. This means sand is extracted from elsewhere and brought to Singapore. Since Malaysia and Indonesia banned sea sand exports, we have sourced for reclamation sand from other sources.

The Singapore government does not condone illegal smuggling of sand. We have put in specific and stringent procedures to ensure that sand is extracted legally and in compliance with the environmental laws and regulation of the source countries.

The JTC Corporation imports sand for Singapore’s land reclamation projects. JTC requires sand suppliers to show documentary proof that the sand will come from an approved sand concession holder, and requires each sand load to have valid documentation on the date and source location. To date, all sand vendors have provided valid clearance documentation from the source countries. 

Singa­pore expects sand suppliers to respect the laws and regulations of their source countries. We cannot police or enforce laws and regulations which are the sovereign responsibility of the source countries, but we will certainly cooperate with any investigations to the best of our ability within our laws, just as the Singapore authorities routinely cooperate with Malaysian and Indonesian enforcement agencies on a range of issues.

Lim Yuin Chien  is the director of corporate communications for Singapore's Ministry of National Development. <p> &nbsp; </p>

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.