KOTA TINGGI – The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the handling of matters related to the sovereignty of Batu Puteh (also known as Pedra Branca), Middle Rocks, and South Ledge was conducted to examine the decision not to pursue a review of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the inquiry is crucial as it involves the nation’s sovereignty, leading to the loss of rights over the area.
“For this reason, when I was the menteri besar of Johor in 2017, I proposed that the Federal government appeal the ICJ ruling (which declared Batu Puteh belongs to Singapore).
“At that time, the British had declassified several documents showing that Batu Puteh was under Johor’s ownership. So the ICJ decision could be contested.
“The prime minister then was Datuk Seri Najib Razak. We had only a limited window to file the appeal. If it wasn’t initiated then, we would no longer have been able to make any claims over the area.
“The RCI concluded that decisions were made without proper consultation, particularly the one made solely by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who refused to pursue an appeal,” he said after launching the Sustainable Knowledge Transfer, Economic Empowerment, and Knowledge Strengthening Programme for residents of Felda Bukit Aping Timur today.
He was responding to questions about the RCI’s recommendation, following media reports last Thursday that it had suggested launching a criminal investigation against the former prime minister.
The recommendation was among several proposed by the RCI in a 217-page report distributed to members of Parliament in the Dewan Rakyat.
The report suggested that a criminal investigation could be initiated against the former prime minister under Section 415(b) of the Penal Code, with potential penalties under Sections 417 and 418 of the same code upon conviction. – December 8, 2024