KUALA LUMPUR: The attorney-general’s chambers has been given until Oct 8 to file its defence over why it withdrew a review application over a decision that Singapore has sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh.
Senior federal counsel Erma Wani Ahmad Keflee said High Court judge Rozana Ali Yusoff fixed the date following an online proceeding today.
Lawyer Mohaji Selamat, who appeared for the plaintiff, Mohd Hatta Sanuri, did not object to the application for the extension of time.
Erma said the judge has fixed another case management on Oct 29.
Hatta, who filed the suit on May 28, has named the prime minister and government as defendants.
The government early this month filed an application asking for more time to submit its defence after receiving the writ and statement of claim from Hatta’s lawyers.
In the statement, Hatta claimed the government had not provided an explanation on why it withdrew the application despite fresh evidence that favoured Malaysia over the dominion of the island, which is half the size of a football field.
He is seeking, among others, for the defendants to give an explanation for the withdrawal and for a declaration that they had been negligent and violated the trust placed on them by citizens.
Hatta wants the defendants to pay a minimum RM10 million in compensation to each Malaysian for the loss of the island, also known as Pedra Branca.
In February 2017, then attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali, under the Najib Razak-led Barisan Nasional government, filed the review after the discovery of “new facts”.
Following the Pakatan Harapan coalition’s general election victory in May 2018, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who returned as prime minister, withdrew the application.
In May 2008, the International Court of Justice in the Hague, the Netherlands, in a 12-4 vote, ruled that sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh belonged to Singapore. - FMT
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