Dr Mahathir says ‘treachery’ label would also apply to his DPM in 2018
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 10 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today rejected suggestions of treachery in his handling of Malaysia’s claim over Batu Puteh, saying he did not profit from the discontinuation of Malaysia’s legal appeal.
He claimed in a press conference today that he had acted out of national interest at the time.
“How can you describe it as treacherous when I did it without any personal gain?
“If I was treacherous, then the whole Cabinet including the deputy prime minister at the time was also treacherous,” Dr Mahathir told a press conference today at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.
Dr Mahathir was responding to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s remarks that the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge revealed “treachery” against the nation.
Dr Mahathir’s deputy prime minister at the time was Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is Anwar’s wife.
Recounting the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Dr Mahathir said it decided Pedra Branca (also known as Batu Puteh) belonged to Singapore while the Middle Rocks would go to Malaysia.
“So we built on the Middle Rocks; there is a track for plane, hotels and it became a divers’ centre.
“It’s bigger than Pedra Branca, and eventually it can be built into an island, Pulau Layang-Layang. That was the original Pulau Layang-Layang.
“I knew the value of Middle Rocks; that’s why I knew that we could develop it,” he said.
Responding to former attorney general Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali’s claims that Dr Mahathir’s views led to Malaysia’s withdrawal and permanent lost of Pulau Batu Puteh, Dr Mahathir sought to discredit the former
“You cannot trust what Apandi says. He was the AG who said that Najib (former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) had not done wrong, when later nine judged from three courts decided that Najib did wrong.
“Apandi was the AG whom I suspended because I believed he was negligent and failed to carry out his duties,” he said.
When asked if he consequently thought Apandi defamed him, Dr Mahathir declined to commit.
“We’ll see what happens, we’ll see if there are more laws abused just to pinpoint me.
“I was never treacherous to my country, I added more land to the country when we built Layang-Layang — substantial land — adding Malaysia to the territory.
“What we gained is the Middle Rocks, that is much more to be developed into a tourist island,” he said.
The RCI on Batu Puteh, through its 217-page report released last Thursday, recommended that a criminal investigation be initiated against Dr Mahathir under Section 415(b) and Section 418 for the Penal Code.
This issue stems from the 2018 decision by Dr Mahathir who headed the first Pakatan Harapan government to withdraw Malaysia’s application to review the ICJ’s ruling on Pulau Batu Puteh.
In 2008, the ICJ ruled Batu Puteh belonged to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia, and South Ledge’s ownership would depend on territorial waters delimitation.
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.
It also declined to suggest that Malaysia submit a fresh request for interpretation to the ICJ, despite the option being available.
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