PETALING JAYA: A Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) reviewing Malaysia’s sovereignty over Batu Puteh, Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan will be headed by former Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif (pic), says the Prime Minister’s Department.
Its Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) in a statement said the government has received consent from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, after an audience was held with de facto Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and BHEUU director-general Zamri Misman.
“The government has received the consent from the King over the establishment of the RCI to study matters related to Malaysia’s sovereignty over Batu Puteh, Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan effective immediately,” the statement said yesterday.
Md Raus will be leading six other commissioners which include former Federal Court Judge Tan Sri Zainun Ali who will act as the deputy chairman; law practitioner Datuk Dr Baljit Singh Sidhu; former Universiti Malaya’s Law Faculty Dean Prof Dr Johan Shamsuddin Sabaruddin; law and constitutional expert Prof Datin Dr Faridah Jalil; Johor Finance Officer Datuk Mohammed Ridha Abd Kadir; and South Region Marine Director Datuk Dickson Dollah.
BHEUU added that the King has also consented to Zamri as the secretary of the RCI while the division will be the secretariat.
In January, the Cabinet reached an agreement to establish the RCI to examine the management issues related to the sovereignty of the three regions in Johor.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said the RCI was established under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1950 (Act 119).
