KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and Anthony Loke have issued a joint statement debunking assertions by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the cabinet approving his decision on the Batu Puteh sovereignty issue.
On Tuesday, during a press conference, Mahathir claimed the cabinet had collectively agreed not to proceed with the appeal to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) during a meeting on May 23, 2018, implicating his then-cabinet members.
The former prime minister reiterated his argument that the decision to withdraw the appeal was a move made after approval was granted by the cabinet – highlighting that it included Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s wife, Wan Azizah, who was the deputy prime minister back then.
However, Wan Azizah, Loke and Mohamad – who are currently part of the unity government – challenged this claim, emphasising that the decision to discontinue the review was made unilaterally by Mahathir in writing to the Attorney General’s Chamber (AGC) on May 21, 2018, without any prior consultation with the cabinet, as the meeting was held on May 23.
“The cabinet was informed of this decision only on the morning of May 23, just before our meeting, which undermines the collaborative decision-making process.”
The trio, who were members of the cabinet in 2018, further clarified that when Mahathir eventually presented the decision to the cabinet, it was merely a “notification” included under “other matters” on the agenda.
“There was no substantive discussion or opportunity for cabinet members to voice any objections or approval, as the decision had already been finalised in writing by Dr Mahathir,” they said in the statement.
The joint statement also urged Mahathir to accept full responsibility for his actions rather than shifting the burden onto others who were not involved.
During Mahathir’s press conference on Tuesday, the former Langkawi MP lashed out at Anwar’s remark accusing him of committing treachery by withdrawing Malaysia’s appeal over its claim for Batu Puteh.
“The decision was actually made by the cabinet (after) proper processes were gone through.
“If I’m treacherous, then the whole cabinet, including my deputy prime minister (Wan Azizah), was also treacherous,” Mahathir told a press conference in Putrajaya on Tuesday.
“(Wan Azizah) was sitting next to me (during the cabinet meeting then), but she didn’t say anything, nor was she called by the RCI to give evidence.”
In June, Mahathir denied acting unilaterally when making the decision not to proceed with an application to the ICJ for a review of its decision awarding sovereignty over Batu Puteh to Singapore.
He said he had consulted several experts, including five senior lawyers from the UK, who took the view that Malaysia had a weak case.
The RCI report, which was declassified and made public on December 5, is expected to be debated in Parliament this week, a move Mahathir claimed was to “neutralise” him politically.
It was chaired by former chief justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, whom Mahathir sought to recuse from the panel, citing previous conflict of interest when he was prime minister.
The RCI concluded, among others, that Mahathir’s actions had caused Malaysia to lose Batu Puteh permanently, with no avenue for appeal.
The commission also proposed initiating criminal investigation proceedings against Mahathir for deceiving the government into surrendering Malaysia’s claim over the island to Singapore. – December 12, 2024