The Agong presented the latest report of RCI Batu Puteh
KUALA LUMPUR – Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim was presented with the latest report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) To Review the Handling of Matters Related to the Sovereignty Case of Batu Puteh, Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan.
According to Bernama, through a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s Facebook page, the report was presented by RCI Chairman Md Raus Sharif to His Majesty at the Istana Negara today in a session that lasted almost an hour.
Last February, the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) of the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) in a statement informed Sultan Ibrahim that he approved the establishment of the commission with immediate effect.
The RCI was established in accordance with the Commission of Inquiry Act 1950 (Act 119).
On 23 May 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Singapore has the right to Batu Puteh while Batuan Tengah, located less than one kilometer from the island, belongs to Malaysia.
In addition, the ICJ ruled that the property rights of Tubir Selatan, about four kilometers from Batu Puteh, will be determined according to the territorial waters of the country that controls it.
On 2 Feb 2017, Malaysia filed an application for a review of the ICJ decision (23 May 2008) but in May 2018, the Pakatan Harapan Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad withdrew the application two weeks before the case was scheduled to be heard on 11 June 2018 .
On 27 February, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the establishment of the RCI was to find a solution and take steps to improve any issue involving national sovereignty and not to find fault with anyone. parties.
Azalina said the people of Malaysia, especially the people of the state of Johor, should be given an explanation of the real reasons and factors that prompted the decision not to proceed with the Request for Review and Request for Interpretation of the Batu Puteh, Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan sovereignty case at the ICJ.
On June 12, Dr Mahathir testified at the RCI proceedings which were conducted behind closed doors.