THE Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the handling of sovereignty issues involving Batu Puteh, Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan has revealed treachery committed against the country, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The prime minister said the previous government, namely the administration that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad led from May 2018 to February 2020, should have fought to the end for every inch of Malaysia’s territory.
Speaking to reporters after Friday prayers in Putrajaya, he said this is not a light matter and any offence about surrendering our sovereignty is deemed as a major treachery against the country.
“But the legal process must be respected, so we will allow that to take place first,” he said.
Yesterday, the RCI in Batu Puteh recommended that a police report be filed against Dr Mahathir for cheating.
In the RCI report - which was declassified in Parliament, it recommended that its secretary file a report against Dr Mahathir to make way for a criminal investigation.
"Therefore, it is proposed that a police report be made by the secretary of the commission to enable this investigation to commence."
It accused Dr Mahathir of deceiving the cabinet in 2018 into withdrawing Malaysia's review of the International Court of Justice’s decision to award sovereignty over Batu Puteh to Singapore.
The Pulau Batu Puteh RCI did not recommend filing a civil suit against the 99-year-old Dr Mahathir for misfeasance in public office due to the six-year limitation period for such actions.
The RCI’s final classified report was handed over to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim by its chairman, Tun Md Raus Sharif, on August 12 at Istana Negara.
The issue stems from a decision made by the government in 2018 to withdraw Malaysia's application to review the International Court of Justice's decision on the sovereignty of Batu Puteh.
At the time, the government was led by Dr Mahathir. - December 6, 2024
