KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — Former attorney general (AG) Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali reportedly said that he is willing to be called up by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to help with the Batu Puteh case assessment.
According to the New Straits Times, Mohamed Apandi said it is “high time” that the RCI panel be set up.
“No problem at all,” he was quoted as saying when asked if he was willing to be called up by the panel for a hearing.
“The RCI’s job scope will include legal powers, compared to the special task force I chaired, which did not have the force of law.
“RCI will be more effective in studying the case of Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge,” he added.
In 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decided that Batu Puteh belonged to Singapore, and Malaysia applied to the ICJ requesting an interpretation of the judgment in 2017.
In 2018, the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-led administration withdrew an application to overturn the ICJ ruling.
In October 2022, Dr Mahathir claimed that the decision not to proceed with legal action at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Malaysia’s claim to Pulau Batu Puteh was based on the advice of officers appointed by Mohamed Apandi.
Last year, a special task force set up to study the case found that Dr Mahathir might have made a mistake in withdrawing the application.
On Thursday, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the RCI panel on the Batu Puteh case is to assess weaknesses in case management.
The law and institutional reform minister said that there was a task force set up to look into the issue, but there were constraints on conducting further investigations, so the RCI is a follow-up action to further investigate the matter.
Because of its complex nature involving maritime borders and islands, Azalina said that the RCI will also help to establish a process and procedures for sovereignty issues and which agency is responsible for sovereignty.
