Dr M's ex-ministers affirm Batu Puteh decision made unilaterally

• UPDATED 12.35PM | Added Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s comment.

Three leaders under Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Pakatan Harapan cabinet have affirmed a Royal Commission of Inquiry's findings that the former premier unilaterally decided to drop Malaysia's appeal in the Batu Puteh case.

Former deputy prime minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Mahathir's transport minister Anthony Loke, and then-defence minister Mohamad Sabu said that the nonagenarian had only informed the cabinet after he had made the decision.

“We wish to stress that Mahathir’s decision to discontinue the review was made on May 21, 2018, in a letter to the solicitor-general, without referring to the cabinet. He had informed Singapore on the morning of May 23 before the cabinet convened.

“Only after the decision was made did Mahathir inform the cabinet during the cabinet meeting (later in the day on May 23).

“We stress that this was just a ‘notification’ (pemakluman) under the ‘other matters’ agenda, and not a discussion to come to a decision,” they said in a statement today.

As such, there was no room for anyone to object or support the move, they added.

The trio expressed confidence that other ministers at the May 23 cabinet meeting could also corroborate what happened.

Wan Azizah, Loke, and Mohamad were responding to Mahathir’s remarks on Tuesday in which he said the trio did not object when he brought the matter to cabinet.

The former premier said if his actions were considered treacherous, then his entire cabinet - including the trio - had also committed treachery.

The trio said today that as a statesperson, Mahathir must take full responsibility for his decisions and not try to blame others.

The RCI opined that if the cabinet had been presented with the cause papers and written opinions of international negotiators, it might have had a different opinion about the review bid.

It has recommended a criminal probe be carried out against Mahathir under Section 415(b) of the Penal Code, which covers cheating by intentionally inducing the person so deceived to do something that can cause damage or harm to any person in body, mind, reputation, or property.

‘Clutching at straws’

Meanwhile, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail described Mahathir’s attempt to drag his previous cabinet into the Batu Puteh decision as “clutching at straws”.

“Just look at the sequence of facts as per the RCI report, where even before the cabinet meeting, a letter was issued by Mahathir.

“So, his attempts to drag others into this is akin to a drowning man… where he will even grab hold of rotten wood (to save himself),” he said after his monthly assembly at his ministry today.

It should be noted that Saifuddin served under Mahathir as the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister at the time.

Asked about what transpired during the cabinet meeting back then, Saifuddin said he was not yet a minister when the decision was made by the nonagenarian.

“I was appointed under the third batch (in the series of appointments)… the first batch had four people (ministers).

“In the second batch, we had 10 people. So, don’t say the home minister is trying to evade the question. I’m just stating a fact,” he added.

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