FORMER Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad appears to have Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the back foot over the Batu Puteh dispute.
Mahathir is demanding an apology from Anwar, but says he will only deserve one if proven innocent in court.
The real question now is whether Anwar will bow to Mahathir’s persistent challenge and reopen the case files that were shelved.
For Mahathir, this would mark a significant political win, forcing Anwar into yet another U-turn on an issue previously positioned as critical to his administration’s accountability stance.
Yesterday, Mahathir reiterated that he is unafraid of prosecution, provided there is clear evidence he acted wrongly in the 2008 decision to withdraw Malaysia’s challenge over Batu Puteh at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“If I did wrong, take me to court and try me. If it’s true I sold (Batu Puteh), if it’s true I gave it away, then I will be punished. But if it’s not true, then the person accusing me should apologise,” Mahathir said.
He was responding to Anwar’s earlier remarks that the Cabinet refrained from pursuing legal action due to Mahathir’s advanced age, even though the Prime Minister still held him responsible for the loss of the island to Singapore.
Mahathir defended his administration’s decision as one based on facts and legal reasoning. Whether Anwar will hold firm or shift course remains to be seen. —July 27, 2025
Main image: Malay Mail
