The International Court of Justice has awarded to Singapore the disputed island of Pedra Branca, a granite rock hosting a strategic lighthouse in the Singapore Straits whose sovereignty is disputed by Malaysia.
Malaysia knows the island as Pulau Batu Puteh. It claims the island historically belongs to the sultanate of Johor, now a Malaysian state.
The court of 16 judges agrees that the former British colony of Singapore has been acting as the sovereign power on the island since the British built the lighthouse in 1851.
The court says two en smaller disputed islands belong to Malaysia.
The UN court's decision Friday ends a dispute that began when Malaysia challenged Singapore's control in 1979. (****)
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