PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that during briefings by legal experts on the Batu Puteh matter, he had been informed of the conclusion that the "proposed review "would fail although there was a slim chance of success'."
He said this was the information conveyed to him in 2018, based on several legal opinions the government had sought in 2017.
In a press conference Tuesday (Dec 10), Dr Mahathir said following his appointment as seventh prime minister on May 10, 2018, he had met with the solicitor-general on May 17, 2018, only to be informed that the solicitor-general was not involved in the Batu Puteh matter.
"I was met by the Solicitor-General on May 17, 2018, during which the issue of the Review and Interpretation of Batu Puteh was raised by him.
"I was informed that the oral hearing at the International Court of Justice was scheduled for June 11 to 22, 2018, and I asked whether Malaysia had a strong case or not.
"The solicitor-general told me that neither he nor the deputy solicitor-general were in a position to tell me about the merits of the case, as they were not involved.
"Only Tan Sri Apandi Ali (who was the then attorney general) and the appointed local and international lawyers and experts were involved," he said.
Last week, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the handling of sovereignty issues involving Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge had proposed that a criminal investigation be brought against Dr Mahathir.
Among others, it found that Dr Mahathir may have acted unilaterally in deciding not to file applications to review and interpret the 2008 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision on the Batu Puteh territorial claim.
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