Former attorney-general Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali says he is ready to be called up by the soon-to-be-established Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge case.
Apandi was in office when the government withdrew the review application against the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling on the territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore.
"No problem at all," he said when asked if he was willing to appear before the RCI panel at the hearing.
He welcomed the government's move to set up the RCI, saying it was "high time to do so".
"The RCI's job scope will include legal powers, compared with the special task force I chaired, which did not have the force of law.
"RCI will be more effective in studying the case of Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge," he said.
The ICJ had in 2008 ruled that Pulau Batu Puteh belongs to Singapore, while Middle Rocks belongs to Malaysia.
The ownership of South Ledge, located about 4km from Pulau Batu Puteh, will be determined based on the maritime boundaries of the country that controls it.
On May 28, 2018, the Pakatan Harapan government under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad withdrew the application to overturn the ICJ's ruling filed the previous year.
The special task force was established following a cabinet decision in 2021, which suggested that an RCI be established to investigate the withdrawal of the application to review the ruling.
Recently, the cabinet had agreed to set up the RCI, which would comprise those with vast expertise in law and public administration.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was reported as saying that the RCI would start once the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong was sworn in.
Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has been elected as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a five-year term, effective this Wednesday.
Sultan Ibrahim had previously questioned the government's decision to drop the review application against the ruling, saying stern against those responsible was warranted if allegations of negligence in the matter were true.