Batu Puteh RCI to be tabled at Parliament

THE Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on sovereignty issues concerning Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge has been presented to the Cabinet, says Azalina Othman Said.

“The Cabinet is concerned about issues related to the country’s sovereignty and has decided that the RCI report is to be tabled in Parliament, and the recommendations debated,” she said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 29).

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) said the report was presented by RCI chairman Tun Md Raus Sharif on Wednesday (Aug 28).

On Feb 27, Azalina said the RCI had been set up to find a resolution to the issue and move forward with improvements when handling issues involving national sovereignty, rather than assign blame to any party.

She emphasised that Malaysians, especially in Johor, deserve an explanation of the reasons and factors behind the decision not to pursue the Application for Review and Request for Interpretation at the International Court of Justice concerning the sovereignty issues.

On June 12, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad provided testimony during the closed-door proceedings of the RCI.

On Aug 12, the RCI presented its final report to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.