JOHOR BARU: The decision to withdraw the application to review the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s decision on Batu Puteh is a "dark chapter" in Malaysia and Johor’s history, says Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He said it marks the permanent loss of the Johor Sultanate’s territorial rights and added that the Federal Government’s unilateral decision to withdraw the application for review is deliberate and unjustified, contrary to historical facts, legal advice, and ministerial consensus.
"I am deeply concerned over the matter after receiving the receipt of the Batu Puteh Petition on Friday (Jan 3).
"The petition, organised by concerned citizens, reflects the ongoing public debate in Johor after the publication of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Dec 5, 2024,” he added.
Onn Hafiz said the report examined the handling of Malaysia's sovereignty claims over Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks, and South Ledge.
"It highlighted the federal government's withdrawal of its application to review and interpret the 2008 ICJ’s decision, despite new evidence strengthening Malaysia’s case against Singapore," he said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 4).
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He added that according to the report, the ICJ majority recognised that Johor, through its Sultanate, had ownership of islands in the Singapore Strait, including Batu Puteh, since the 17th century.
"Furthermore, Johor’s sovereignty over Batu Puteh was acknowledged to have persisted through the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, the Crawfurd Treaty of 1824, and until the late 1840s,” said Onn Hafiz.
"Official British government documents from the 1950s and 1960s also recognised Batu Puteh as part of Johor's waters," he added.
Onn Hafiz deemed the act as a betrayal of Johor and Malaysia’s sovereignty, demanding that all individuals involved be held accountable under national law.
He then said that the Johor state government and its people would not compromise with anyone undermining the state or nation’s harmony and sovereignty.
Onn Hafiz also urged all parties to refrain from distorting the issue, as doing so could jeopardise the state and nation's stability.
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In 2008, the ICJ granted Middle Rocks to Malaysia and Batu Puteh to Singapore, while leaving the ownership of South Ledge to be determined based on the delimitation of territorial waters.
In 2018, the government led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad decided to withdraw Malaysia’s application to review the ICJ decision on the sovereignty of Batu Puteh.
In February of last year, the government announced that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, had consented to the formation of the RCI on the handling of sovereignty issues involving Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks, and South Ledge.
On Dec 5, the RCI released its declassified report, stating that Dr Mahathir had unilaterally decided to withdraw applications to review and interpret the ICJ’s 2008 decision.
The RCI, headed by former chief justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, also suggested that a criminal probe be initiated against Dr Mahathir for his action on the sovereignty issue.
