KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore said Malaysia's move to set up a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to study a 2018 decision to drop a review of an international court's ruling on three disputed islets including Batu Puteh, will not affect bilateral ties.
In a report, Singapore's The Straits Times said the republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), in response to a query from the publication, had described the issue as Malaysia's 'internal matter'.
"The Royal Commission of Inquiry is an internal matter of Malaysia.
"We do not see this affecting the good bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia," the ministry was quoted as saying in a statement.
The ministry said the International Court of Justice had awarded sovereignty over Batu Puteh, known as Pedra Branca by Singapore, to the republic in the case over the sovereignty of three other islets, including Middle Rocks and South Ledge on May 23, 2008.
"Both Singapore and Malaysia have publicly announced that they will accept and abide by the Court's decision which is final," the ministry was quoted as saying.
Yesterday, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said the cabinet had agreed to establish a RCI to study the issues related to the sovereignty of the three islets.
Zuki, in a statement, said the establishment of the RCI was in line with the Commissions of Enquiry Act 1950 (Act 119), whereby the proposed membership of the commission would be brought for the approval of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
He said the commission would comprise experts with vast experience in judicial and legal affairs and public administration as well as capable to undertake the investigation transparently, fairly, and impartially to prevent any issues involving conflict of interest with the related parties.
In 2008, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decided that Batu Puteh belonged to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia and South Ledge to the state in the territorial waters in which it is located.
In June 2017, Malaysia applied to the ICJ to request an interpretation of the judgment.
However, the Pakatan Harapan government in 2018, under the leadership of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, withdrew the application to overturn the ICJ's ruling awarding legal jurisdiction of Batu Puteh to Singapore.
In Dec 2022, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim asked then Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun to review matters pertaining to Batu Puteh, which he said, would enable more meaningful negotiations with Singapore on the review of actions and legal issues regarding the islet.
Earlier today, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the RCI will facilitate additional investigations to uncover the truth behind the issue.
She said apart from helping government in processes and procedures related to national sovereignty, it would also aid the government in determining the agency responsible for matters involving sovereignty.