'Why didn't Shafee report Batu Puteh issue to MACC?'

Anwar Ibrahim has questioned why senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had remained silent despite having information of alleged graft in Malaysia’s territorial dispute with Singapore over Batu Puteh.

Referring to claims of "funds" changing hands following Malaysia’s loss of the island, Anwar said Shafee's silence has also cast doubt on whether he is fit to represent the government in appealing the Sodomy 2 trial verdict.

Similarly, he said, Shafee(left) allegedly knew that the Malaysian legal team had submitted a “doctored photo" as evidence, which had dented its case on Batu Puteh.

"Shafee had information on a serious matter which involved our territory and this information was not conveyed (to the authorities),” claimed Anwar.

"This means he did not make a police report or a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission report. This is a crime.

"As such, I will discuss with my lawyer to resubmit our application against Shafee (seeking to have him dropped from the prosecution team).”

Last month, Anwar had failed in his bid to remove Shafee from leading the prosecution team in the government's appeal against his acquittal of sodomy.

Anwar was speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby after receiving a copy of a statutory declaration (SD) this morning from former top cop Mat Zain Ibrahim.

The SD relates Mat Zain’s conversation with Shafee and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the Batu Puteh matter.

Among other claims, Mat Zain said Shafee had claimed that the Malaysian legal team headed by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail had submitted a "doctored photo" as evidence to the International Court of Justice in May 2008.

The photo was lifted from an anonymous blog, and was meant to show Batu Puteh's proximity to Malaysia, but it was heavily disputed by the Singapore legal team.

If this is true, added Anwar, it was an "act of treachery" and an investigation should commence immediately.