MCA Youth cries treason over Pulau Batu Puteh 'quid pro quo'

The Pakatan Harapan administration's decision to withdraw a legal claim over Pulau Batu Puteh "almost" amounts to treason against the Johor ruler, said MCA Youth leader Chong Sin Woon.

In a statement today, Chong said the Johor sultanate had a historical claim over the islet and had vowed to reclaim the island at all cost when the International Court of Justice ruled in favour of Singapore's claim in 2008.

Chong said that the Malaysian government had found fresh evidence last year to file for a review of the ICJ verdict and therefore was obligated to exhaust all legal avenues.

"Things seemed to be finally coming around for us Malaysians. However, out of nowhere, Singapore reported that our new government has decided to drop the appeal. Why this sudden decision?

"It is more than a little odd to do almost immediately after cancelling the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project.

"From the eyes of a bystander, it certainly looks like the sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh has been used as a sacrificial lamb to appease our project partner," he said.

Chong said Putrajaya had yielded to Singapore, which was against Malaysia's economic interests because it meant ceding "miles" of territorial waters which would be "immeasurable in worth till the end of time".

"It is also almost treasonous to disregard the rightful claim of the Johor sultan over Pulau Batu Puteh," he said.

The review of the ICJ ruling was initiated by the Najib Abdul Razak administration and was to be heard on June 18.

Malaysia was to adduce "new facts" such as correspondences from the Singapore colonial authorities and a report filed by a British naval officer in 1958.

However, the current administration had chosen to withdraw the application and was instead in favour of expanding Middle Rocks, a rocky outcrop near the disputed Pulau Batu Puteh.

The decision was welcomed by Singapore but questioned by former Johor menteri besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin. -Mkini