Batu Puteh RCI report to be debated in Parliament

The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on the sovereignty disputes involving Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks, and South Ledge will be debated in the upcoming parliamentary session.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said announced the decision following RCI chairperson Raus Sharif's report presentation at yesterday’s cabinet meeting.

“The cabinet is profoundly concerned about national sovereignty issues and has decided to present the RCI report in Parliament, where its recommendations will be thoroughly debated,” Azalina said in a statement.

The RCI report was submitted to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on June 18, following his approval of the commission’s establishment in February.

Azalina on Feb 27 said the RCI, which was conducted behind closed doors, was to seek a resolution and advance national sovereignty issues rather than assign blame.

On May 23, 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Singapore holds sovereignty over Batu Puteh, while Middle Rocks, located less than 1km away, belongs to Malaysia.

The ICJ also determined that the ownership of South Ledge, about 4km from Batu Puteh, would be decided based on the maritime boundaries of the controlling country.

Malaysia sought a review of the ICJ’s 2008 decision on Feb 2, 2017.

However, in May 2018, the Pakatan Harapan government under then-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad withdrew the application just two weeks before the scheduled hearing on June 11, 2018.

Mahathir provided testimony during closed-door RCI proceedings on June 12 this year.

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