KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin has criticised former ministers from the 2018 Pakatan Harapan administration who remained silent during Cabinet discussions but are now vocal about the decisions made on Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge.
During the debate on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report, Hamzah (PN-Larut) said the ministers should step down if they were unaware of the decisions made.
"Some did not speak in the cabinet back then, but suddenly today they claim they did not know (about the decision).
"If you were a minister and did not know, resign, step down today," he said.
Hamzah also said the principle of collective responsibility should apply to the ministers, asserting that if the then-prime minister is to be held accountable for the decision, the deputy prime minister should also follow suit.
"If we are talking about collective responsibility, then if you want to punish the prime minister, punish the deputy prime ministers who agreed too, and that includes my president (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin), punish him as well.
"This is a collective responsibility. But suddenly, some are bold enough to defend and say that it was agreed upon by the Cabinet," he said.
Hamzah also questioned the intentions behind the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Batu Puteh, claiming that it appeared to be politically motivated and aimed at targeting specific individuals.
"What we see happening now is purely driven by grudges or deep-seated resentment against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad."
Earlier today, three former ministers from the 2018 PH administration — Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and Anthony Loke — claimed that the decision was made unilaterally by Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister at the time, without consulting the cabinet.
Following this, Dr Mahathir questioned their silence over the decision to withdraw Malaysia's application to review the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling.