KUALA LUMPUR: The government should initiate a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to independently investigate the loss of Pulau Batu Puteh.
The RCI would also put to rest the events that occurred between Malaysia and Singapore since 1979 on the matter, said former Penggerang member of parliament Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said
"An RCI will be effective, for the Act provides it with extensive powers to summon witnesses and documents.
"Any failure to do so would allow the RCI to issue a warrant of arrest to compel attendance," she said in a statement.
She said such a move would enable the parties concerned, especially from the Pakatan Harapan administration, to explain why they withdrew the application despite fresh evidence that favoured Malaysia's sovereignty claim over Batu Puteh.
"Those willing to compromise on the sovereignty of the country must be held accountable and the findings of the RCI should be made public," she said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob told the cabinet recently that there was possible negligence and oversight on then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir's part over the Pulau Batu Puteh issue.
He said the cabinet was informed by the special task force for the case that Dr Mahathir might have made a mistake in withdrawing an application to review the International Court of Justice (ICJ) award of Pulau Batu Puteh's sovereignty to Singapore.
Dr Mahathir, however, said the move not to appeal was based on former attorney-general Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali's officers' advice.
In 2008, the ICJ decided that Pulau 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.
In 2018, the Pakatan Harapan government, under the leadership of Dr Mahathir, withdrew an application to overturn the ICJ's ruling awarding legal jurisdiction of Batu Puteh to Singapore.