PM: Malaysia to withdraw from Rome Statute
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced that Malaysia will withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“We withdraw the signature because people are easily misled on emotional feelings,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya this afternoon...
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has announced that Malaysia will withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“We withdraw the signature because people are easily misled on emotional feelings,” he told a press conference in Putrajaya this afternoon.
The premier spoke for 16 minutes on the issue, a rare move given that his opening remarks in press conferences are typically known to be short and concise.
Among other points, he claimed that an unidentified party had tried to pit the royalty against Putrajaya over the statute’s ratification.
"The whole idea is to get royalty in Malaysia to go against the government. That is the motive. Because of that conclusion, we have made a decision not to recognise (the Rome Statute). We have ratified it, but still have time to withdraw.
"It is not because it is harmful to us, but because of the political confusion raised."
Mahathir also sarcastically said that Putrajaya would not confiscate or kill Chinese and Indian minorities in order to engage in ethnic cleansing and thus be tried in the ICC.
"But what we are doing now is not excessive. We ensured the equal distribution of wealth, that everybody benefits from the wealth. We are not going to seize the properties of the Chinese or Indians, and kill them.
"That is excessive. That will invite the UN to condemn (us)."
Asked on why the cabinet did not seek parliamentary approval before acceding to the treaty, he said it was because the statute’s ratification would not undermine Malaysia and it was beneficial.
Sparking debate
On March 4, it was reported that Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had signed the Instrument of Accession to the Rome Statute.
Wisma Putra stated that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah had been informed by the minister on Feb 15 of Putrajaya's intention to accede to the treaty.
However, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim claimed that the government failed to consult the Conference of Rulers beforehand.
Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar had said ratifying the treaty would violate the Federal Constitution as it would affect the monarch, Malay rights and the sanctity of Islam in Malaysia.
The ICC tries four core international crimes - genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crime of aggression.
Tunku Ismail had cautioned that certain quarters who wanted to dismantle the royal institution might orchestrate war crimes.
The Rome Statute has been adopted by more than 100 countries in 1998 during a conference in Rome and which established the ICC.
The ICC came into force in 2002 and aims to end impunity against the perpetrators of the most serious crimes.
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