PUTRAJAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad refused to cooperate in the review of actions and legal issues regarding the Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge as long as Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali was chairing the special task force set up for the case.
The former prime minister said he would only cooperate after Apandi was replaced.
He also insisted on the presence of a third party that was neutral to ensure the inquiry into the case was just.
"I came here to the Attorney-General's Chambers today for the inquiry by the special task force.
"However, upon my arrival, I was told by one of the officers here that Apandi is still the chairman of the special task force.
"Therefore, I told them I will not cooperate," said the Langkawi member of Parliament.
Dr Mahathir stressed that Apandi should be summoned as a witness into the inquiry instead of chairing the task force.
He added that he had written a number of times seeking to replace Apandi but to no avail.
"This is nonsense.
"I have no qualms to whoever is being appointed (to chair the task force) as long as there is no conflict of interest and that the person must be impartial.
"I will cooperate and provide all the information as well as the truth (only after Apandi has been replaced)," he said.
When asked to comment on the statement by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who had called legal action to be taken against the betrayal that caused the country to lose Pulau Batu Puteh, Dr Mahathir said the state government and the Sultan of Johor could blame anyone and were free to air their opinions.
"He is not the judge to blame anyone, he is a sultan, and he is free to express his views.
"In the country, the sultan has the freedom according to our laws, and he can say anything.
"However, I want to know why 1,370ha of land was sold to China
"The sale of Bandar Maharani to Singapore — this issue is bigger compared to 'seketul batu' (Pulau Batu Puteh) — if this is the case, there will be no Johor," he said.
On June 16, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, in his opening speech at the First Session of the 15th State Legislative Assembly, expressed his disappointment with the decision of the federal government in 2018 to withdraw its application for a judicial review on Pulau Batu Puteh.