KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — No police report has been lodged so far against ex-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge, said the inspector-general.
In the declassified report released last week, the panel conducting the RCI said there were grounds for a criminal investigation against the former PM for deceiving the country into surrendering its claim over the territory.
“No reports have been received (against the former prime minister on the matter),” Tan Sri Razarudin Husain was quoted as saying by New Straits Times today.
Earlier today, Dr Mahathir held a press conference rejecting the findings of the RCI, which he claimed was conducted to target him with blame.
In 2018, Malaysia decided to withdraw its application for a review of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) 2008 judgment, which awarded sovereignty of Batu Puteh to Singapore.
When announcing the withdrawal shortly before the scheduled hearing, Dr Mahathir said legal experts had found Malaysia’s case to be weak and cited a desire to foster good relations with Singapore.
The decision effectively upheld the ICJ’s earlier ruling, leaving Pedra Branca under Singapore's sovereignty.
Since then, the RCI has concluded that Dr Mahathir had misrepresented the legal views over Malaysia’s chances in the review, and that he acted unilaterally in directing Malaysia’s withdrawal.
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