Dr M reminds Azizah, Mat Sabu, Loke on collective responsibility

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has hit back at his former cabinet colleagues over the Batu Puteh case, insisting all agreed to his decision.

This came after three of his former ministers alleged that Mahathir merely informed the cabinet of his unilateral decision to drop Malaysia's appeal in the Batu Puteh case.

“As far as I remember, the cabinet has minutes indicating all ministers agreed to the view/notice made, including the three, where I detailed my views on the matter.

“It is puzzling that since 2018, they did not even say a word (on the issue).

“But the moment I spoke the truth, everyone is trying to shirk away from their responsibility,” he said in a press statement today.

Just a ‘notification’

Earlier today, 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 joint statement.

Collective responsibility

Unimpressed, Mahathir took a sarcastic swipe at the trio, asking whether they needed his approval to give their views or opinions.

“Don’t they know that when any issues arise, notified or mentioned, it requires all members (cabinet) to pay attention and if they have an opinion, it must be voiced out during meetings?

“I guess if it’s a notification, it blocks any attempt to a debate or anyone voicing agreement or disagreement to it,” he said, adding if they chose to remain quiet during meetings, it can be construed as they approved it.

Mahathir then reminded his former colleagues of the collective responsibility concept when making decisions as the administration back then.

“They want me to take responsibility on the matter but the question is, do they still remember about taking collective responsibility as cabinet members?

“If not, it means they didn’t fulfil their responsibilities because they did not voice out their views on what was notified during cabinet meetings.”

Bad precedent

Echoing Mahathir's statement, Muhyiddin Yassin, who was also part of the cabinet at the time, emphasised that the cabinet decision was subject to the principle of collective responsibility.

"Although Mahathir brought up the matter to the cabinet under the agenda of other issues, it did not prevent members from expressing their views.

"Once the cabinet had decided on the matter, it became the collective responsibility of all cabinet members to accept and uphold the decision," he said on Facebook.

The Perikatan Nasional chairperson called it inappropriate for a former prime minister to be prosecuted for a cabinet-approved decision.

"If it were to happen it would set a bad precedent,” Muhyiddin added.

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