‘IT WAS IN CONSIDERATION OF MALAY RULERS’ WISHES’: ANWAR SATISFIED WITH MAHATHIR’S EXPLANATION ON ROME STATUTE AFTER 4-EYED MEETING – ‘THERE IS WISDOM IN THE PM & GOVT’S MOVE TO AVOID FRICTION’

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has described Malaysia’s change of heart on acceding to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a wise move on the part of the government led by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said Dr Mahathir had explained the withdrawal was in consideration of the Malay rulers’ wishes.

There is wisdom in the prime minister and government’s move to avoid friction,” he told reporters after attending an event with veterans in Bandar Sri Sendayan, near Rantau, today.

Anwar was asked to comment on the government’s decision to not sign the Rome Statute after all, following the political and social confusion that the prime minister said had greeted the announcement that Malaysia accede to the treaty.

The ICC was established in 2002 and administered according to the Rome Statute.

It is the first agreement-based international criminal court aimed at ending immunity to four core international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

As of March 2019, 123 states are parties to the Statute of the Court, including all the countries of South America, nearly all of Europe, most of Oceania and roughly half of Africa.

– Bernama