In a surprising turn of events, Malaysia has decided to establish a royal commission of inquiry to delve into handling cases related to three disputed islets in the Singapore Strait, sparking speculation and a wave of controversy. While Malaysia and Singapore had previously agreed to abide by the Court’s 2022 decision awarding Pedra Branca to Singapore, Malaysia’s recent move suggests an unexpected revisiting of the issue.
For those accustomed to Malaysia’s penchant for using Singapore and Pedra Branca as political pawns during election seasons, skeptics were quick to label this as just another attempt at distracting the public from domestic issues and engaging in what they call “Singapore-bashing.” However, the true motives behind Malaysia’s latest manoeuvre might run deeper than mere political posturing.
Contrary to popular belief, the Royal Commission of Inquiry is asserted as “an internal matter of Malaysia,” asserting that it won’t affect Singapore’s ownership of Pedra Branca.
It’s not even an appeal to the court to overturn the decision, just an internal inquiry to investigate why the case was dropped.
It’s crucial to note that in 2017, Malaysia initiated an application for revision and an interpretation of the Court’s 2008 decision, only to withdraw these motions in 2018. According to the Statute of the Court, any application for revision beyond ten years from the 2008 judgment’s date, i.e., after May 2018, is rendered invalid.
The plot thickens when one takes into account Malaysia’s recent political landscape.
With Mahathir making controversial statements, emphasizing a pro-Malay stance and questioning the loyalty of non-Malays, and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) playing up right-wing Malay nationalist sentiments, it seems like a calculated move.
Three key figures involved in the 2018 decision – Mahathir, Muhyiddin (then Home Minister), and Saifuddin Abdullah (then Foreign Minister) – are now associated with PN or harbour sympathetic inclinations towards it.
Enter Anwar Ibrahim, orchestrating what some perceive as a political vendetta against Mahathir and his opposition allies in PN. The inquiry, it is believed, aims to expose Mahathir’s alleged hypocrisy or, worse, branding him a traitor. Anwar contends that Mahathir, despite his vocal nationalism, was quick to relinquish a Malaysian territorial claim.
The inquiry seeks to establish whether Mahathir and other ministers acted negligently or maliciously, potentially paving the way for a court case to recover any financial losses incurred. While reluctantly accepting Pedra Branca as Singapore’s rightful possession, the inquiry is poised to recommend a method to extract payment from Mahathir.
In essence, the Royal Commission of Inquiry appears to be more than a mere examination of historical decisions; it is a calculated move by Anwar Ibrahim to settle political scores and unveil what he perceives as Mahathir’s treacherous actions in the Pedra Branca saga and f*cking him over so many times in the past.
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